Detention Buddies
by Be-ya
Summary: TezukaOC: She was twenty-four and he was fourteen, but his brain seemed to think ten years ahead and hers ten years too late…“You always notice my mistakes because I always put you in detention. Be mature Tezuka-san!”
1. Her Frustrations

**Title: **Detention Buddies

**Summary:** TezukaOC: She was twenty-four and he was fourteen, but his brain seemed to think ten years ahead and her ten years too late…"You always notice my mistakes because I always put you in detention. Be mature Tezuka-san!"

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**Chapter 1: Her Frustrations**

She really thought she was cute. After teaching for a year in Hyotei Gakuen, Okiayu Miwako, twenty-four years old, had finally realized that her assumptions were after all wrong. She really thought that the students always say her name for the mere fact that they find her special and attractive. She thought that she was the talk of the town because she really did a great job with teaching the students.

Unfortunately, she was very wrong of thinking in the first place.

Just three days ago, she found out that ever since her foot stepped the grounds of the prestigious school, she became a laughing item - a hoax. The sheer idea of it could bring her to tears, really.

"Ugh," she whined in disgust as she faced herself in the mirror.

Her brown eyes were all red, puffy and swollen from three sleepless and miserable nights. Even her black hair that was once stylishly ponytailed was sticking all over the place.

As much as she wanted to stay like how she was right now, she couldn't sulk forever. She _had _to live. She is twenty-four and she had to help her mother. She couldn't forever freeload. Anyway, her mother wouldn't stop banging the door so she might as well come out.

"Miwako, don't you dare not to come out of your room you young, immature lady." her mother said in an impatient tone.

She just hoped that her mother realize that her bleak comments weren't helping her in any way.

Instinctively, her eyes laid on the resignation letter atop her desk filled with math books and lesson plans. She wasn't even sure if she indeed wanted to leave Hyotei. After all, it was the very first school to accept her, not to mention how prominent the school was.

But no matter how she looked at it, it was all over. If her passion for teaching wasn't enough might as well give everything up.

"Miwako!" her mother hollered yet again.

"I'm coming!" she replied in a hoarse voice, finally deciding to open the shower.

Honestly, how her mother could be _that _incessant surprised her. She usually wouldn't say anything but today seemed to be very different…or maybe she just never noticed. But _that_ it didn't matter. The problem was how she could get to the principal's office without being noticed by anyone. She wouldn't want to bump into anybody; especially not with that diva-like brat.

"_Ore-sama thinks that your teaching skill is below average," _the self-important tone of the silver-haired man replayed endlessly inside her head.

How dare he?

Calling himself 'ore-sama' was one thing but he saying that she was an incompetent teacher for one inconsequential mistake was another thing.

"_Below dog shit you say, Atobe," added one of his classmates._

"_And Okiayu-sensei, has anyone ever told you that you dress like a clown?" _said another as everyone joined the mocking remarks and snickers.

Since then, everyday life in Hyotei was a living hell.

If only they hadn't debated over a single error in her exam, she wouldn't know everything. Maybe it would have been better. She did fine without the painful fact that her students think that her level of thinking was below dog shit and that her way of dressing was that of a clown.

It was Atobe Keigo's fault, she concluded.

Everyone was agonizingly attracted to his charisma.

"Geez," her eyes stung yet again as the memory occurred to her.

He was the worst nightmare anyone could ever imagine. A narcissistic, wealthy and, more frustratingly, handsome young brat; she hated him. Who wouldn't? Or better yet, who would?

"Miwakooo!" she could swear that sooner or later, their neighbors would send cops to get her mother.

"Yes, I'm coming down okay?" she shouted back, scurrying to get dressed lest her mother decided to shout again.

It took a lot of courage for her to touch the knob of the door of her room and a lot more to at last step outside her comfort zone.

"What took you so long?" her mother greeted.

"Okaa-san, I don't need to hurry, I'll just send my resignation letter," Miwako replied exasperatingly.

She couldn't understand why her mother seemed to be too excited about this. She had been asking her when she would terminate her job with the school since she had known about her incident with Atobe. Was losing her job that enthralling?

"I'm going," she said after she finished her breakfast.

The faster she got there and the faster she sent the resignation letter, the better. After that, she mentally reminded herself never to be fifty-meter-radius near the said school and its students.

**0.0**

"I'm really sorry for the trouble," Miwako repeated for the nth time.

Surprisingly, the principal said that she still had a chance. Besides, having disrespectful students was a part of being a teacher. The issue would come and the issue would go.

She didn't have to leave. It was what the principal told her. She said that they could give the students punishment as a consequence for their actions.

For a moment, she thought to reconsider. But when she mentioned about _the _Atobe being involved, the confidence of the principal gradually started to fade. Of course, with his parents being affiliated with the owner of the school, she doubted she had the _chance _the principal was talking about a while ago.

Though she couldn't care less.

She was so sure she wouldn't want to see that arrogant smirk of that boy once again. A boy smirking at someone who was ten years older than him was just completely improper. But then again, a self-centered person had his own rules.

She sighed as she reached the other side of the door, officially dismissed.

**0.0**

Her mind wandered as she tried to remember how she got in this situation.

"_Remember, you have to be serious."_

Actually, she was damn serious about her life. But since her mother wouldn't allow her inside the house if she didn't go, perhaps she should obey.

Seishun Gakuen. Well, it neither sounded flashy nor it did look extraordinarily good compared to Hyotei. The salary was way smaller compared to what she earned before and she didn't quite get how her mother thought that letting her enter in this school would help her be more mature.

"Okiayu-sensei, from now on, you will be handling the math class of third year junior high," she heard the principal said. "For starters, you won't have any homeroom classes."

She nodded absentmindedly.

"Are you ready for your first class?" the principal inquired.

"Yes," she replied.

She really had a bad feeling about this.

But no, she had to face it. One way or the other, she would have to face students because she _is _a teacher.

"_Intimidate them!" _

That was what her mother said. If she would able to establish the "intimidating" presence her mother was talking about, maybe things would work out. Her mother said that a person's career doesn't depend on his enthusiasm; it's about the attitude.

"_Monsters are never born, they are created."_

She had to be strict and create a good reputation. Easier said than done. But she had to give it a try.

"Good morning!" she said as soon as she opened the door.

Third year, class A. A very much disorganized class indeed. She expected much better since this was where the intelligent people were. But everyone were standing and talking to each other despite her, their teacher, greeting already.

She had enough. Being bullied by students was _dearly _traumatizing.

Not taking it anymore, she banged the door close and proceeded in front of the class, trying to make her presence known.

"Classmates! Please settle down!" an egg-headed student helplessly tried to help her; maybe, he was the class' president. "Our new teacher is here. Please take your proper seats." He continued 'til everyone were shushed.

She couldn't believe it; they hadn't really noticed her a while ago. Probably, she had to admit, she was…a little too small.

"H-Hi!" she faltered, oh geez, she shouldn't be like this.

The silence was, to say the least, a bit unnerving.

She straightened her back and tried to muster some poise, "I'll be your new math teacher, let's work hard together." She said contented in a way that _finally_ her students' eyes were on her. "Good luck with all of us!" she exclaimed, raising her right arm in the air.

Instead of joining her, the students just stared at her openly as if saying "Are you dumb or what?"

"So—" she was about to say a better thought sentence but was interrupted when the door of the room suddenly flew open.

And there he was, a tall figure of a brown-haired young man wearing transparent eye-glasses, striding inside the room towards her.

"Good morning, sensei. I'm sorry I'm late," was his polite greeting.

She was about to smile and wave a dismissive hand while saying that everything was fine since she was just about to start but decided against it.

This was her opportunity.

So, how should a strict teacher naturally react to this?

She smirked to herself, "What's your name young man?"

"Tezuka Kunimitsu," he said curtly, his face still wearing the same blank expression.

"Tezuka-san, see me in detention after class," she said to him and turned her attention towards the whole class. "Being late in _my _class is unforgivable," she added with a self-dignified expression, adjusting her fake eye-glasses.

That should do it.

"Is she serious?"

"That _is _Tezuka Kunimitsu."

"He was late because of Student Council meeting!"

Or maybe not.

She hesitantly looked towards the Tezuka boy who simply said, "Yes sensei," and headed towards his seat.

She sighed in relief. She just hoped that this Tezuka they were talking about wasn't anything like that Atobe who pretended to be kind but was actually otherwise.

"Let's start our class!" she declared enthusiastically.

…**To be continued**

--

**Date Published: **November 29, 2009

**Edited: **April 3, 2010

**A/N: **What do you think? XD That bad eh?


	2. Before Her

**Warning:** This chapter is not beta-ed.

**Wanted: **Beta-reader. XD

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**Chapter 2: Before Her **

"_Tezuka-san, see me in detention after class."_

"_Being late in my class is unforgivable."_

Contrary to popular belief, Miwako was actually really glad that the young man came to her class late. After her declaration that Tezuka would have his detention, which she believed made everyone gasp in surprise and stare in disbelief, she thought that she would easily gain everyone's respect. Well, that was because she _thought _that having the audacity to go against the popular Tezuka Kunimitsu would intimidate her students.

"How's your first day?" the old, saggy face of a woman greeted her from her left as she took her seat inside the faculty room.

It was Usami-sensei, her mentor and guide, as the principal put it, "It's fine," Miwako beamed and nodded.

"By the way, sensei" she added as an afterthought. "Who is this Tezuka Kunimitsu?"

To her surprise, Usami-sensei only gave her a short laugh.

"Wha-What's the matter?" she immediately backtracked, thinking that she said something off. "Is he someone influential? Someone that I should know?"

The older woman shook her head and replied, "Are you interested by him?"

"Actually no," really, she didn't quite get the humor in there. "He kind of…reminds me of…someone I know," she trailed.

'_Atobe Keigo,' _oh how she dreaded his name.

"Your boyfriend, I see," Usami-sensei noted, not planning to give her direct answers.

"Far from it," she answered as a pout started to form on her lips. "I put him in detention," she explained in a matter-of-fact tone, forcing herself not to roll her eyes.

Really, sometimes old people could get a little irritating.

"You put _him _in detention?" Usami-sensei's face was incredulous when she asked.

"Well, yeah, I guess I did," for the second time of the day, she nodded.

"That's quite a shock considering that this will be his first time," Usami-sensei answered to explain her astonished expression.

'_Oh great,' _Miwako heaved a sigh. She guessed it right; he was _not_ a normal student.

"He's late in my class," she said, lest the woman forgot to ask about her reason. "Is that wrong?"

Instead of answering, the older teacher merely just looked at her like she had grown another head.

'_That bad?' _Miwako thought forebodingly.

Usami –sensei 'tsked' at Miwako's lack of understanding, "It's not because he _intends _to be late," she said, earning a puzzled look from Miwako all the more.

"He'll always be late," she continued, propping her chin with her palm as she stared exasperatingly to Miwako. "Probably."

'_Why can't she just get it straight?' _she thought, noticing how the old woman tried to stall.

"You can't always put him detention, he has some important things to attend to," Usami-sensei, Miwako thought frustratingly, was berating her for putting this Tezuka person in detention.

Whoever he was, she simply couldn't care less. "Well, whatever those _important _things are, he can at least make an effort to attend my class on time, yes?"

"I'm sorry, sensei," a low voice suddenly called, and entered the teacher's lounge. "It was my fault for being late."

It was him- Tezuka Kunimitsu with all his glory. Great, acting oh-so-modest whenever other people were around him. She didn't know but she had this faint idea that he was just making all things up. Just so that everybody would adore him. She just knew that sooner or later, his mask would be blown up.

"It's me Tezuka-kun that should be sorry!" Usami-sensei so abruptly interrupted. "Okiayu-sensei here," she said as she patted Miwako's shoulder. "…is new so she doesn't know that you're the head of the student body.

"It's my fault," she admitted.

Miwako couldn't believe it. Usami-sensei was sorry because this Tezuka was put in detention. It was illogical!

'_Damn it, he's just a student!' _she thought to herself.

And so what if he's the head of the student body?

"Don't worry about this," the old woman dearly said. "I'll handle Okiayu-sensei for you. Proceed to your afternoon club activity. We won't want our tennis team to go waste, yes?" she supplemented with a laugh. "Without their captain I'm afraid they will slack off!"

And it didn't really matter if he was the tennis team's captain.

She wanted this brat to be in detention. _Badly._

"Bu-But Usami-sensei!" Miwako tried to protest but all she got was a dismissive hand telling her to shut off.

"No buts Okiayu-sensei," her voice was calm but intimidating all the same.

Tezuka who realized that he was already excused decided then to speak up, "I'll be going then," were his polite words as he bowed before he turned to leave.

'_Same expression, same boring tone,' _Miwako thought as she looked at the boy's retreating figure. _'No fun.' _

The fact that Usami-sensei was on his side surprised her really.

"He's one of the hopes of Japan," she heard Usami-sensei whispered, her eyes staring at the ceiling dreamily. "A very responsible and intelligent boy, no wonder a lot of people likes him," her voice was still wistful when she returned her gaze to Miwako.

"But it even surprises me more that you don't seem too comfortable with his presence," her eyes seemed to question Miwako's evaluation.

She couldn't really help it, that man's ability to attract people really vexes her. The fact that he was trying to be polite made it worse even. Usami-sensei couldn't even stop mumbling about his awesomeness. It was just like hearing Atobe's self-proclaimed mightiness, just from other people though.

"Okiayu-sensei, are you even listening?"

Actually, she wasn't. Her feet were all sore and she just felt too rigid with her clothes. Trying to look all intimidating and composed was really a tiring thing to do. Though it was her mother's fault, she decided. It was her fault for buying crappy shoes and her preference of clothing.

She just couldn't understand why there was a need for her to wear a two-inch heeled shoes and black slacks and…beige blouse. It wasn't just her style. And it wasn't like everyone in the faculty wore the same thing. Ryuuzaki-sensei even wore a plain shirt matched with pink jacket and pink jogging pants.

A sigh escaped her lips. Tomorrow then, she would wear her usual get-up.

"Okiayu-sensei!"

She almost jumped at the booming sound of Usami-sensei's voice. Well, she just couldn't, her feet were sore enough.

"Hu-Huh?" she replied, still unfocused.

"After all I've said, you didn't hear a thing," she gave her a disapproving look.

"Ne, sensei," Miwako called, her mouth opening and closing showing her slight hesitation.

But then again, since the faculty was almost deserted, aside from the three teachers hauling over around a desk which was far from them, she thought that perhaps it would be the best time that she asks about it.

"The teacher before me, the one handling the math subject before me, I mean. Where is he?" her tone hinted anxiety in it when she asked.

"Where is _she_, you mean?" Usami-sensei replied by which Miwako answered with a silent 'yes'.

"She fell in love with that student," the older woman continued her head pointing toward the door.

Miwako's eyes widened. _'That student? Does she mean Tezuka-san?' _the thought was horrifying that she just had to confirm it.

"Yo-You mean, Tezuka-san?" she sputtered almost incoherently.

"Who else? He has that appeal on older women, really," Usami-sensei said, her eyes now on her lesson plan, her right hand busily scribbling on her yellow post-it.

She clicked her tongue, a very unprofessional teacher indeed. Just the thought of falling to that Tezuka seemed so wrong and preposterous.

"You mean, that's the reason why the teacher is terminated?" her voice broke at her last word.

Usami-sensei stared at her intently, "I'm actually worried about you since you are younger than her. But I guess I'm wrong," she said and handed her the yellow post-it that she had been writing on earlier.

"But to be safe, let's just say I'm warning you. If the admin finds out that you are having some kind of romantic relationship with any of your students," her forefinger traced an imaginary horizontal line on her neck. "You're dead."

Miwako resisted the urge to laugh.

'_Who is she to talk? She seems to be the one infatuated to Tezuka-san here. Ironic, really.'_

_And _she couldn't possibly have any romantic relationship with any of her students, let alone Tezuka. He was the opposite of her male preference, actually. She wanted someone simple, unnoticeable but gentleman in one package and he wasn't in any way… simple and unnoticeable.

Not that she was trying to find these qualities in him.

"I'll try my best to stay alive then," Miwako answered, grinning.

It wasn't really wrong to humor other people, yes?

Then she finally noticed the post-it that Usami-sensei wrote for her.

_I promise not to fall in love with Tezuka Kunimitsu. _

She read and read it again. _'How come she's so sure?' _she eyed the woman cautiously.

"Just crumple that piece of paper when you did," the woman smiled.

Miwako's lips though turned to a full frown. She was surer that she wouldn't fall for him.

**0.0**

Her first day was, to put it simply, wonderful. She knew that it was too early to assume but things went smoothly as she and her mother planned it. Perhaps her mother had been right all along. Trying to act dumb, innocent and cute wouldn't do her any good but instead her new character— the intelligent, strong and intimidating.

Miwako smiled to herself in the mirror as she looked on her _original _dress preference. Fake glasses, violet leggings, checkered red skirt, long-sleeved white shirt that reached her lower hip, brown vest atop it, pink bag and her black hair tied up high in a fashionable way (as she put it) all set for today's lectures at Seishun Gakuen.

She wouldn't blame her mother for asking her to wear plain beige blouse since her way of dressing really add a lot to their laundry but she just found it too boring and dull. She guessed that the way she dressed wouldn't really affect how her students see her.

Or not?

She almost forgot, those boys in Hyotei did think that her way of dressing was that of a clown.

However, that was out of the question. If she didn't know better, those rich, spoiled kids just don't know the real essence of fashion. And she was after all in a new school. She doubted that those people would mind the way she dress.

"Miwakoooo!" her mother's loud voice called downstairs. "You're already late!"

Certainly, she wasn't. She was sure that her mother would just ask about _it _again- the man that she was talking about. In the end, there _was _indeed something fishy about the way her mother insisted that she go to Seigaku.

Miura Kaito, twenty-five years old, a man with a very promising career as her mother said. He was fatefully a teacher in Seigaku too. Her mother told her that she saw him quite a few times before. Brown-haired, tall, with a masculine built…and with glasses too. She couldn't imagine any other boy who was like that but…

"Okaa-san, are you sure it's not 'Tezuka Kunimitsu' we're talking about?" she almost cringed at the thought.

"Of course not, dear. I'm sure his name is Miura Kaito," she smiled as she handed her daughter her lunch box, "A very nice gentleman indeed."

She really saw no point why her mother was forcing her to find a boyfriend or better yet, a husband. Sometimes it was beginning to get into her that her mother simply wanted her out of the house.

"I know, I know," Miwako replied. "You're saying that since last night," her face was dazzled as she tried to mimic her mother's antics.

"Brown-haired, tall, masculine built and with glasses too! A very nice gentleman indeed!" she said, clapping her hands together but then frowned afterwards. "Give me a break," she turned her back to escape her mother's teasing and squealing and whining.

"Che," she muttered as she closed the door. "If she really wants him _that _badly, why doesn't she marry him inst—"

Her ramblings were stopped short when she accidentally bumped on someone walking on the sidewalk opposite her direction. She realized that she _had _to stop rambling since given the impact, she would most likely hit the cold ground. She closed her eyes, praying to God that somehow she would get out of this alive.

"Okiayu-sensei?" a man's soft voice called.

'_Geez. Is that an angel?' _Miwako thought as she slowly opened her eyes, and sure enough, there was a man, keeping her from falling by holding her waist.

_Brown hair…tall…glasses!_

"So-Sorry!" she exclaimed and released herself from the man's hold.

'_How did he know my name? My surname?' _she thought and as if on cue, the man explained himself.

"You might think it weird that I know your… name," he said scratching the back of his head. "My mother told me a lot about you. I'm Miura Kaito, please to meet you," he introduced himself and held his hand out which Miwako took nervously.

"I-I'm…Okiayu Miwako!" she sounded too delighted, "P-Please to meet you!" not to mention that she blushed and stuttered.

"And I'm sorry about a while ago," he said sheepishly. "It happens to me a lot."

"It's my fault," Miwako said, smiling genuinely. "I wasn't looking anyway," she never thought she could act so _reserved_.

"I also go to Seigaku, mind if we go together?"

She raised a brow.

She was sure he was going to the opposite direction a while ago.

…**To be continued**

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**Date published: December 28, 2009**

**A/N: **Thank you for reading! Comments would be lovely :)

By the way, I apologize for my lacking of description of Miwako's appearance. I realized that I focused too much on explaining how she got herself in Seigaku. I tried describing her in this chapter but I guess it wasn't pretty clear. I would try posting pictures for my characters to help you :D

And yes, I sucked at making Japanese names so I decided to get Miwako's surname from Tezuka's voice actor. Miwako came from…Sato Miwako, a police in Detective Conan. Miura Kaito's name came from the guy in Shokojo Seira and Usami-sensei's name came also from a character in Detective Conan.

I guess that's pretty much everything.


	3. First Detention

**A/N: And yes, I'm back with a new chapter :) Thank you for my previous reviewers. I apologize for my lack of replies but as I said, they are all appreciated from the bottom of my heart. **

**I hope you'll enjoy this new chapter :D And oh, before anything else, I want to say that any comparison between Hyotei and Seigaku are not intended by the author. The story is written based on Miwako's perception so yeah, I have nothing against any of the school or characters. And yeah, your views are always appreciated. Tell me what you think, whether it be a concrit or not :)  
**

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"I also go to Seigaku, mind if we go together?"

She raised a brow.

She was sure he was going to the opposite direction a while ago.

**0.0**

**Chapter 3: First Detention**

Although she was still overwhelmed by the thoughts of her encounter with Miura Kaito, she hadn't missed the earlier conversation that her two co-teachers had had. It was about her mentor, Usami-sensei, who had to miss today's work because she had to rest due to her back and neck pains.

As much as she wanted to be worried, she couldn't help but let the smile that she was holding for a while form as she entered her first class. Tezuka Kunimitsu still wasn't there and of course, with Usami-sensei's absence, there would be no one to defend and excuse him from being late. Therefore, there would be no one to restrict her from putting him in detention.

She was aware of the fact that she might appear vengeful. But it wouldn't be her problem that Tezuka was late again and that she would decide to give him the proper disciplinary action that she had failed to give yesterday thanks to Usami-sensei. It wouldn't be her problem if said boy wouldn't protest and give his reason for being late in her class.

"Okay class," she clapped her hands in enthusiasm. "Let's begin our lesson!"

As if on cue, the door of the room opened. Just as Miwako expected, there he was again, his stiff frame by the doorway with the same expression that he had yesterday. This student, she noticed, was one of those people devoid of expression. He was one of those unfortunates who hadn't had the chance to grasp emotions when God showered them all over the earth.

She raised a brow, "You're late."

If she wasn't watching closely, she would have missed the sudden recognition in his eyes. He couldn't have forgotten about her, could he?

"I'm sorry, sensei," he said as he bowed.

Oh how she wanted to dance in joy. "See me in detention," she replied smugly, ignoring the murmurs and protests around the classroom as the Tezuka boy accepted the punishment and returned to his seat wordlessly.

"Shall we begin?"

And so, the class had commenced.

**0.0**

After her first period ended, the smile that was plastered on Miwako's face could not be removed from where it was. She was grinning like an idiot for about…two hours or so. Even her silent devilish laugh was clearly heard when she once gave a seatwork to her students.

"What happened to her?" whispered one student to her seatmate.

"Who knows? Maybe she's calling spirits?"

She might be weird and she might seem as if she was calling spirits, but right then, she couldn't really care. What's important was how she did really well in teaching her students and sure enough, successfully putting Tezuka boy in detention.

After such a feat, there lay before her was her scrumptious meal. Life couldn't get any better.

Although the environment, especially the cafeteria, wasn't as great and grandiose as that of Hyotei's, if she knew that Seigaku would be a comfortable place for normal people like her to go, she would have transferred a long time ago. This was the very first time in her career life that she actually enjoyed teaching; no pressure. There might be a lot of students against the way she dress or even the way she dealt with the Tezuka boy, but it couldn't bother her in the slightest bit. Maybe it was because of the thought that people in Seigaku weren't called aristocrats…in a good way.

"Okiayu-sensei?" a voice suddenly called which interrupted her thoughts.

"Miura-sensei?"

He nodded and looked at the vacant seat beside her, "Is this taken?"

"N-Not really," she answered and tapped the chair, motioning for him to take it.

Then, the inevitable happened.

Just this morning, she had known that this man was one of the clumsiest species alive. He tripped thrice, knocked three people on the way and he actually was about to go the opposite direction from the school. Thank God, he met her on the way.

Unfortunately, his luck was the same inside the grounds of Seishun Gakuen. He carelessly sat down and for some unknown reason, his butt failed to reach the stool therefore causing his fall and everyone's attention to be glued to him…_them_.

"Sorry, Okiayu-sensei," Miura-sensei said as he tried to stand up from his awkward position.

Seeing that the man was in deep predicament of pulling himself up, Miwako scampered to help him, "Le-Let me give you a hand," she said and bent to jerk him up.

But then, fate wasn't pretty kind to them. Not noticing the juice that was spilled on the floor, he hastily used his left hand to prop himself up on the same spot, successfully slipping and pulling her with him.

She closed her eyes, anticipating the hard impact. However, instead of the cold ground that she was expecting to meet, she was welcomed by a sturdy yet warm object. Slowly, she opened her eyes only to discover that she ended up atop Miura-sensei in a rather compromising manner that onlookers, specifically students, could misunderstand it.

She didn't have much time to enjoy it, "I'm sorry!" she exclaimed as she hurriedly stood up.

"It's fine, it's fine," said Miura-sensei dismissively.

However, it couldn't end simply with an apology. She just had to hear the loud murmurs around the cafeteria and teasing glances from the students who had just witness their blunder. Things got even worse when she found out that the table next to them was occupied by none other than Tezuka boy himself.

People like him, she thought begrudgingly. She just knew what he was thinking. He would most likely think that she was stupid and clumsy. He would most like think that she wouldn't have the right to teach him for a simple mistake and, most probably, he would influence other students. He would call her someone with intelligence as that of dog shit and even fire her.

"Okiayu-sensei?"

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted when she finally realized that Miura-sensei was practically waving his hand in front of her face as she stared wordlessly at Tezuka Kunimitsu who was, surprisingly, boldly staring back at her as well.

"Oh!" she suddenly cried and slapped her hands together, her eyes breaking contact with the spectacled boy. "I need to go," she informed Miura-sensei who looked confused as he ever was.

She wouldn't wonder; she hadn't even touched her food since the lunch begun.

But just when she was about to explain, Miura-sensei suddenly laughed and smiled at her knowingly, "Sure," he replied and took the seat that was offered to him not so long ago.

"Tha-Thanks!" Miwako said and bowed, grabbing her bento box and walking hurriedly away from the crowd.

As soon as she was out of sight, she stopped and sat at one of the benches near a…court. She didn't know why her foot led her there but sure enough, she had seen it somewhere before; the green fence, the yellow balls and the people holding rackets. Right, she had seen it once before in Hyotei and it was where the great Atobe himself almost resided during school days – the tennis courts.

Now that she remembered, Tezuka boy was as well the captain of the tennis team of Seishun Gakuen. It irked her so much that he had so much similarity with Atobe Keigo. He was, in simple words, traumatizing her. He had been the threat to her – and her job – all along.

"Damn it," she whispered to herself.

Due to their striking resemblance, she had been treating her student badly. Now that she realized it, she wanted to berate herself for wanting revenge and pouring her anger towards the wrong person. She had gone too far, even concluding that the student would think this and do that. She had been seeing Atobe Keigo all along and she was a failure for being driven by her emotions, even scheming to put her student in countless detention for being late.

"Ahhh!!!" she shouted in frustration as she messed up her hair as if ready to tear it then and there.

The tennis court that was once filled with match conversations fell silent at Miwako's sudden outburst. Miwako, who had just become conscious of what she had done, covered her mouth in shock and embarrassment. Blushing furiously, she stood up and turned to leave only to bump on someone so hard that she actually thought she would be blown away.

"Ou-Ouch," she mumbled as she rubbed her head.

And here she thought that blessings were on her path today.

"I'm sorry," said the person softly.

When she raised her head to protest, the cat caught her tongue as she was halted by the deep azure eyes that were gazing at her with worry, "Are you alright?" said the feminine looking, brown-haired man.

Not knowing how to respond, she simply nodded.

"Who's she, Fuji-senpai?" asked the spiky-headed man as he munched on his lunch. "A new student?"

"Baka, she's not wearing school uniform," hissed someone who wore the green bandana. "Where's your brain?"

"Shut up, Mamushi!" he exclaimed.

"That's what I've been hearing for over two years, porcupine head," the student wearing bandana replied spitefully. "Can't you think of a more intelligent reply?"

"You're really getting on my nerves!"

In fury, both of them pushed their heads against each other like uncontrollable bulls.

"You'll regret this!" warned the man with spiky hair.

"Momo, Kaidoh, calm down. Please," plead another man. Although unlike the other students, he looked more familiar.

Miwako knew him well for he was the same person who tried to calm the class she first had during her very first day in Seishun Gakuen.

"Uhm, excuse me," she said, trying to help the student whom she recalled to be addressed as 'Oishi.'

Even though she didn't know both of them, they were probably sophomore students; she still had the responsibility to stop the fight. After all, she _is _a teacher.

"Now, now, Momo, Kaidoh," said the man, who had bumped with her just a while, as he tapped both of the bickering student's shoulders. "We wouldn't want Tezuka to give you laps later, ne?" his voice was very gentle though Miwako could feel the lethal edge to it.

However, she believed that it wasn't just his voice that made them visibly stiffen – it was the mere mention of Tezuka's name itself.

'_Who's that kid anyway?' _she clearly couldn't understand how that pushover student who couldn't even defend himself and give his reason for being late in her class intimidate them.

Osihi's sigh brought her thoughts back to the situation at hand, "Thanks, Fuji," he said.

"Anytime," he replied.

And then, the cerulean orbs that were closed throughout the whole ruckus were opened once he turned to speak with her. "We're sorry, sensei," he apologized.

"I-It's okay," she stuttered. Just when she thought she would faint because of the sheer intensity of his stare, he closed them and smiled at her with such eeriness that could make her shiver and cringe away due to the unbearable pressure he created.

"Interesting," Fuji whispered as he brushed past her.

"Hm?" asked Oishi in curiosity as they walked with their kouhai towards the courts.

"She was the person who put Tezuka in detention, ne?"

Despite the fact that she made to herself the point that she wouldn't mind whatever her students thought about her, she still strained her ears to hear.

"Now that you mention it," Oishi answered as he glanced back at her in which she dismissed with a feigned smile. "I'm quite surprised myself."

"Really?" shouted the spiky-haired lad, who was named Momo she believed. "Tezuka-buchou? In detention?" his voice was unbelieving when he added.

"Aa," Fuji curtly said, causing each of them to stare back at her.

Before anyone of them could have the chance to inquire her, she finally decided to abandon the place.

**0.0**

'_Is he angry at me?' _Miwako asked herself morosely.

She tried to recall if the kid that she bumped into earlier during lunch was one of her students. No matter how hard she thought, she couldn't remember seeing him. Maybe she didn't notice him before, but he was, she thought horridly, probably one of Tezuka's classmates or batchmates. Why else would he know about the detention?

'_God, please don't let him be my student.'_

As much as she wanted to deny it, she had been dearly intimidated by those eyes.

"Sensei," a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.

"O-Oh!" she almost knocked her desk in surprise. "It's…you?"

As it happened, she hadn't had any plans on what would Tezuka do in detention. She was still choosing between making him clean rooms and letting him do some errands. In fact, she thought of letting it go. After all, both of them knew that he was late because of a student council meeting.

"Tezuka? Do you know any Fuji in this school?" she tried to hide her shaking voice by asking with much casuality that she could muster but failed anyway.

His brows twitched for a second but then he only replied with a nod, much to her dismay.

"I should have known!" she exclaimed and sulked by bowing her head on her table and covering it with her arms. "I'm really, really dead."

Actually, she had expected him to ask what the problem was but she guessed that the best reaction she could get was a sigh. _'Really, how boring.'_

She raised her hand and motioned for him to sit down, "How could you not react?" she whined. "So anyway," her head shot up when she finally thought of what to do with Tezuka. "Let's talk about your detention."

And he nodded.

He _nodded_.

"Could you loosen up?" Miwako was so sure her face was so much distorted in pure frustration.

His shoulders shrugged and God that was the best thing he could do.

Miwako waved her hand as she gazed at him wearily, "Forget it," she said and smiled. "I had been thinking about the punishment I should give you and I think I found something which could fit to your current problems."

No answer.

"Okay!" she clapped her hands. "Let's play rock, paper, scissors!"

Just then, she thought that his face broke into an incredulous stare as if she just stripped in front of him.

…**To be continued.**

**--**


	4. Games, Mistakes and Date?

**Thanks to: Kemi-chii **for the wonderful beta~!

**A/N: **Yay~! Another update :) This one is pretty long (and yes, I'm proud of it *grins*). Wish you would enjoy the chapter. Please be kind by telling me what you think. *winks winks* Happy reading~!

"Okay!" she clapped her hands. "Let's play rock, paper, scissors!"

Just then, she thought that his face broke into an incredulous stare as if she just stripped in front of him.

**0.0**

**Chapter 4: Games, Mistakes and…Date?**

"Is there any problem, Tezuka-san?"

It had been forty seconds since she gave the idea that they do the game and yet her student still couldn't seem to grasp it. As ridiculous as it sounded, she was starting to believe that Tezuka didn't have any idea of what 'rock, paper, scissors' was and that he was just embarrassed to confess.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Finally, when Tezuka realized that she was indeed serious, he hesitantly moved his hand and posed for the starting position.

Miwako grinned as she eyed his stiff movements. How he could be so tensed for a simple activity was really a wonder to her. It wasn't as if she would give him an F-mark if he would lose to her. After all, said game was known for testing people's luck. And she chose the activity to help him. She wasn't in any way intending to put pressure on him.

"Relax, it's just a game," she beamed.

From the way he looked, he seemed as if he wanted to bang his head on the wall. He appeared so exasperated.

"Admit it," Miwako said with mixed amusement and concern. "You don't know how to play it, right?"

**0.0**

"Let's play rock, paper, scissors!"

He didn't know how a student should properly respond to such situations. If he would ask to confirm, she would get annoyed for his lack of attention. He already knew that she was upset more than enough with him so he was sane enough not to do so.

"Are you alright?"

Although he was a little confused as to where this would lead, he hesitantly complied.

It was odd since Tezuka Kunimitsu had never felt hesitant in following orders from authorities before. As the captain of the school's tennis team, he had come to realize that people who have authority burdens a lot of responsibilities and therefore deserves to be respected. But right then, he almost wanted to question how his teacher does things.

There were more important matters than playing 'rock, paper, scissors'. Matters like tennis practice and homework. And a student sure shouldn't be playing around but instead doing his responsibilities.

"Relax, it's just a game," she beamed.

Tezuka tried to return her enthusiasm but failed in the end. He couldn't get over the fact that instead of him practicing for the upcoming tournaments; he was there, in detention, playing 'rock, paper, scissors.' He didn't want to question her but he would opt to clean a classroom than being stuck in such unproductive activity.

"Admit it. You don't know how to play it, right?"

He wanted to scream. If he wasn't Tezuka Kunimitsu, he would have banged his head on the wall in frustration. His sensei, he realized, wasn't in the least bit understanding of the situation he was in.

"Can you at least reply when I'm asking?" said Okiayu-sensei with a frown.

"I know how to play it," he finally said.

A sigh escaped from her lips as she fell back on her seat, "You're the worst," she said with extreme genuineness that startled Tezuka.

No one had ever dared to call him 'worst', especially _not _a teacher.

"If you knew how to play it, you should at least pretend that you're excited!" she exclaimed.

He didn't know if she was just driven by her anger, but calling him 'worst' for the pure reason of not showing his interest was a little bit over the top. It was so out of place that he wanted to get angry and make someone run laps.

"Sense—" he was about to explain and reiterate his excuse for being late in her class so that he could finally leave but was then interrupted by Miwako's sharp exclamation.

"Oh stop it!" her hand raised in a way that looked as if she was surrendering. "You're irredeemable," she leaned on her table with her left hand propping her chin and continued, "If you don't want detention then just don't be late. Just…go. Go to your practice," she sighed as she motioned for him to abandon the place.

Again, he was caught off guard. There was once more the sudden urge in him to ask her to repeat her statement.

"Hai," he replied.

But then, instead of wasting more of his time, he turned to leave.

After reaching the other side of the door, Tezuka couldn't help but sigh in relief. Okiayu-sensei indisputably disliked him. He didn't know where his teacher got her hatred towards him but he sure would be having a hard time in her class if he wouldn't do anything about it.

Clearly, there was nothing wrong about her expecting that he would be on time in her class so he would have to think of a better way to comply.

"Ne, ne, Oishi!" he heard Kikumaru's voice as he neared the courts. "Can I ask you a question?"

"What is it, Eiji?" replied his Golden Pair partner.

"Hm…Tezuka always assign laps to members whenever they're late, right?"

Tezuka's brows gave a slight twitch at the mention of his name.

"Yes," Oishi said with a puzzled look on his face.

"Everyone, right? Even the regulars?"

"What kind of question is that, Eiji-senpai?" asked Momoshiro when he approached the two upperclassmen, his blue racket on his right shoulders.

"Well…" Eiji trailed.

"Well?" the two inquired expectantly.

"I was just wondering if Tezuka will assign laps to himself. After all, he got himself in detention. He'll most likely be late," he said almost to himself, thinking hard.

Oishi and Momoshiro both gave him weary smiles.

"I'm not late, Kikumaru," Tezuka finally said when he entered the courts that made everyone stare at him forebodingly.

"T-Tezuka. You're here!" Kikumaru laughed nervously. "We were just…conversing."

"Instead of practicing," Tezuka added with a frown. "Twenty laps around the court!"

"Bu-But!" he tried to protest.

"Sixty," was Tezuka's curt reply.

From the side, he could hear Fuji Syuusuke chuckle in amusement, "Wow, Tezuka. That's times three," he said as his closed eyes followed the figure of his best friend scamper without any words.

**0.0**

If there would be any way to avoid any further arguments with his teacher, it would surely be about him meeting his teacher's demands.

His teacher's clear dislike towards him had already been a bother enough. Deciding that it would only be up to him, he took the first move and called the student body's secretary to inform all the student council officers to arrive at the school earlier than they usually do. Although a lot of them had opposed the idea, the stern Tezuka Kunimitsu made it to a point to explicate that using student council affairs for their tardiness during their first classes was absolutely unforgivable – whether or not their teachers mind.

So in the end, the stoic captain was finally able to attend his class on time. As the saying goes, 'If there's a will, there's a way.'

"Good morning class!" their teacher greeted cheerfully as soon as she entered the room. As if a habit, her gaze landed on his seat only to find it occupied. "You're here," she said to acknowledge his presence.

She was quite surprised that the stoic student was already there first thing in the morning. Not that she was against it, in fact, it quite pleased her although she was just plainly astounded that he would actually take her opinion seriously about his tardiness. Counting on her fingers, Tezuka was definitely the first to take her seriously (on second thought, no one really took her seriously before).

"So," she tapped the table lightly. "We'll have to start our lesson then."

For some odd reasons, the atmosphere seemed tensed and pressing since she entered the room. The looks on the faces of the students weren't welcoming if someone would ask her opinion. She definitely wouldn't want to mess up today.

"She really is something isn't she?" she heard someone whispered to her seatmate.

Miwako sighed. She guessed that there was someone amongst the students who started a fight earlier or maybe being bullied. Although whatever it was, she would just have to talk to the students' homeroom teacher later to settle things. She wouldn't want to ruin today's lesson for crappy talks.

"Yeah, I heard all she did is flirt with him inside the teacher's lounge," another replied.

Who actually had the audacity to flirt inside the teacher's lounge? Her ears strained to hear more of their conversation as she wrote absentmindedly on the board. Before making conclusions and reporting everything to their homeroom teacher, she should have clear details of what had actually happened.

"I heard she just put him in detention as an excuse to talk to him. What a horrible slut!"

'_Detention?' _Miwako thought of the word with frightening familiarity.

"Rock, paper, scissors? What is she, really?" Miwako heard a snort.

She did plan to talk to them after the class. But the fact that they were in front and within her hearing range _and _were actually talking about her with not much correct information and rather insulting manner just made her want to confront them.

"Excuse me?" she turned to face the three talking girls, one hand on her hip. "If it's not relevant to the topic then please zip you mouths shut."

"Of course," the ponytailed haired girl blew her fingernails offensively. "Seeing that you wanted so badly to cover up your mess. Not only pushing Miura-sensei down but as well as boldly making a move on Tezuka-sama!"

"I—what? I did not—" Miwako sputtered incoherently.

"What?" the girl raised a brow as if challenging her. "You can't even write the formula properly on the board. Why would I listen to you?"

Miwako turned stiffly to check. "There's nothing wrong with my formula," she said regardless of the fact that she noticed how she clumsily put a wrong sign before the variable 'F'.

"The variable 'F' should be positive regardless of its position. If you'll put a negative sign before it, it will change the value if 'F' will be replaced by a constant number. Are you even a teacher?"

For a simple mistake her history appeared to have repeated itself. Her knees started to crumble as everyone stared at her with pity. She couldn't even bring herself to retort back.

"Emina-san, please stop it," Oishi tried to plea to help his disoriented teacher.

"Oh please, Oishi-kun! I'm not listening to someone who doesn't know anything but bullshit," the girl flipped her hair.

Murmurs then begun to erupt inside the classroom. Bleak, amused and some concerned comments could be heard amongst them.

"I heard Emina-san is one of Tezuka's fan girls."

"No wonder why she's so furious to Miwako-sensei."

"But did she really try to flirt with Tezuka-kun?"

"Too bad that Math is Emina's forte."

"I hope sensei's alright."

"Look at her face! She looks like a lost child."

"If you're knowledgeable about the topic then leave the room," a low voice interrupted from the back of the class. "You've disrupted the class enough."

Emina stiffened at the sound of said voice. "Te-Tezuka-sama?" she questioned when she faced his way but was only met by his cold stare. "I-I'll leave," she said and stood up to leave. She threw one last glare towards her teacher and walk past her without so much of an apology.

As soon as Emina closed the door, Miwako instinctively put her hand on the table to hold herself up. It was kind of terrifying if you ask her, even if she knew that she should not chicken out at the mere fact that someone was against her. After all, she knew it herself that none of Emina's accusations were true; that she was just misunderstood. But then again, traumas were not that easy to handle.

"So…uhm…" she uttered almost inaudibly. "Let's forget about that shall we?" she forced a smile and hastily wrote on the black board.

She just had enough of students who wouldn't let teachers commit mistakes sometimes. They were bunch of geniuses but with rotten upbringing. She was still sane enough not to admit that she did make a mistake writing the formula. With that thought, she continued her lesson with the same formula. It wouldn't really matter. She would change the formula on her next classes. Before examinations, her students would definitely check and compare notes and then find that there was something amiss. And of course, with their examinations in mind, they would shrug off her mistake and move on with their lives. In simple terms, she would be saved from the humiliation.

"Sensei, the formula is still wrong," someone whispered behind her back.

Her guess was right. It was Tezuka boy with his stoic face. She supposed he really did save her earlier. But really, going in front just to confront her with her mistake was just...irritating.

She smiled at him sarcastically and waited no longer for him to return it back (he most probably wouldn't) and turned to the black board, discretely putting a vertical line across the negative sign.

"Happy?" Miwako asked not bothering to hide the annoyed edge in her tone.

How she could actually smile yet sound irked quite surprised her.

Instead of answering, the boy merely nodded and returned to his seat.

She touched her fake glasses and coughed to add an effect, "As I said earlier, nothing's wrong with the formula. Let's continue the lesson!"

She was lucky enough that Tezuka boy did not decide to comment. Whatever his plan was, she was grateful for now. If he hadn't butted earlier, she was sure she would have thrown tantrums. Knowing herself, she wouldn't just let it pass. Not after hearing the word 'shit' yet again in her career life.

**0.0**

"Pass your notebooks, class! Time is up," Miwako said, jumping slightly, excited over the first results of Class A's very first seatwork.

Yesterday, although she wasn't done over with checking other classes' papers, so far none of them got a perfect score. She concluded that she probably made the seatwork difficult. After all, she expected nothing less from her skills. She blushed and giggled silently at her vanity.

"Uhm, sensei?"

She frowned when someone interrupted her thoughts, "What?"

"The papers?" the student said and raised the pile of papers which, Miwako remembered, the answer sheets for today's seatwork.

"Ow, yes," she trailed as she accepted them.

"Tezuka-kun?" Miwako called instinctively to the stoic captain as soon as her eyes landed the pile of paper and the visual aids she was supposed to bring to her next class. "Can you help me with this?" her eyes still stared at the visuals; she couldn't believe that she brought so much.

"Tezuka-kun!" she called yet again and found her student already in front of her. "At least answer, will you?" she said and nodded towards the papers. "You bring those and I'll bring these."

As she passed the girls nearest to the door, she heard them whispered, "No wonder Emina-san is thinking she's trying to make a move on him."

Miwako could only sigh. She wondered why on earth a sane girl would want to date a boy like Tezuka; not only does he have zero attitude, he wasn't in any way attractive at all. His face was plain and painfully blank, his eyes have glasses which made him look the studious type – nerd if you ask her - and he was so tall that a person, in her case anyway, would always find it difficult to talk to him. It was already a pain in the butt to make him talk more than a word, what more would it do to her when she always have to look upwards just to have a stare on his expressionless face? A relationship with him, she noted to herself, would be completely dull, strained and exhausting.

As for the reason why she chose Tezuka to accompany her, there were two. Aside from the fact that Tezuka was one of the few whom she remembered the name, she also wanted to ask him a favor.

"Ne, Tezuka," she stopped to face him as they reached the deserted hallway. Most of the students were still in their classes as it was too early to have a break. "Please inform your girlfriend to know her limits. You know, attacking her teacher just like that is _not _really pretty," her face contorted in annoyance.

'Attacking' was not the right word but she guessed it was only appropriate for questioning someone about their teaching skill was almost as awful as being slapped on their face. Of course, she wasn't as well sure if the Emina-san they were talking about was Tezuka's girlfriend, but seeing how she followed him like she was his wife made it clear to her that the spectacled boy was someone special to her. In any case, she didn't want further grudges and involvement from his girlfriends or fan girls as it was termed in their dictionaries.

"Tezuka?" she said, utterly forgetting the honorific. "Look, sometimes you have to separate studies from love life," she rambled on and dropped the box of visual aids she held, her hands making a dividing gesture to further explicate her point. "I know I should be telling this to Emina-san but you know, as his boyfriend, you should teach her well. In the future, you might not know she already murdered someone because of jealousy."

Miwako waited for him to reply and sighed when Tezuka just continued to stare at her. "And you know, not that I'm really forcing you though, but I don't think you're ready for such relationships. You're still young and you have to prioritize things! And do you really like a girlfriend like that? I mean, she's too aggressive and possessive and her ability to judge people is completely… utterly… I mean…forget I said that," she paused when she found herself lost for words and pushed back the hair on her face with her hand clumsily.

She shook her head and continued, "This is an advice from the expert," she winked. "Take it," she tapped his arm and grabbed the box she held earlier to continue her walk.

Tezuka, on the other hand, followed and wondered what his teacher was talking about. He didn't know but she seemed to have mixed the idea of a fan girl and a girlfriend. If he had to think it that way then his teacher was probably giving him a love advice.

_Right. _A love advice to Tezuka Kunimitsu.

Sometimes he wondered if he should just ask her, but her obvious dislike towards him was resonating in her every cell that he wouldn't dare take the risk. After all, it wasn't his business to begin with. If his teacher liked to think that he had a girlfriend then it would be up to her.

"By the way Tezuka," his teacher asked, her head momentarily glancing his way. "Is that girl really your girlfriend?"

The curiosity in her tone quite surprised him, "No," he curtly answered.

"Oh," she said in realization. "It's one-sided then. You should have told me earlier you know? So much for giving love advices," she huffed and stopped when they finally reached her next class.

"Good morning, class!" she greeted as soon as she opened the door.

She was about to cheerfully trudge her way towards the teacher's desk when she realized who was seating at the table on the far right corner of the room, right next to the window. It was him, the blue-eyed boy from the other day who sent shivers down her spine. Oh God, he was indeed in one of her classes.

The boy continuously smiled even when he realized that she was staring at him. This time however she could only see amusement in his expression – although what was amusing to him was still a wonder to her. And he being amused wasn't in any way comforting. It made her feel anxious and wary.

"Where will I put this, sensei?" the man behind her asked her when he found her frozen in her place.

"There," she pointed randomly. "Somewhere near me," she added and walked slowly towards the teacher's table.

Tezuka didn't question her though and simply obeyed all the while following where his teacher's gaze landed.

'_Fuji,' _he thought when he noticed the brunet entertained by their teacher's sudden odd discomfort.

"Tezuka, what was the sign again before variable 'F'?" his teacher suddenly asked out of nowhere.

"Plus sign," he answered anyway and waited for his teacher to send him off.

"Uhm," Miwako trailed. Oh how she wished for the stoic captain to stay. After all, he seemed to be feared by anyone. She thought that his presence might somehow control the dark aura that was surrounding the man with the closed eyes. "You may go," she finally said after some thought.

Miwako wondered why she was so afraid of the feminine looking boy. She didn't do him wrong and he was actually smiling at her, not looking dangerous enough. He was far from her as well so he wouldn't be able to just suddenly attack her from behind when she wasn't looking and was writing on the board. It was really weird that she was having paranoia at the mere fact of looking at him or him looking at her.

"So class!" she clapped her hands and thumped her feet, not to get the class's attention – they were quiet enough – but to shake the nervous feelings off her. "Let's begin our lesson!" she declared and started teaching.

Miwako wasn't exaggerating but after dealing with Tezuka's love life, Fuji's threatening aura and even Miura-sensei's clumsiness during lunch, she could finally say to herself that she was dead exhausted from work.

**0.0**

She slumped on her desk when the bell rang that indicated that the classes were finally over. She wasn't even sure if she did still remember what sign should be before the variable 'F' anymore. And when she thought that her day was finally over, she still had to deal with all their seatwork and even prepare her visual aids for tomorrow.

"I want to sleep!" she exclaimed catching some of her students' attention who were just walking out of the room.

Well, it was better than being berated by Usami-sensei and dealing with the flabbergasted faces of other teachers inside the faculty room at least. She ducked her head in her arms and gave a muffled scream as she kicked her shoes off under the table. Her legs were so sore that she swore it wouldn't be able to hold her up when she stand up. It was one of the hardest things about her profession, standing up for eight hours while talking. Now that she thought of it, her throat was kind off achy too.

"Tezuka!" she exclaimed happily when she lifted her head and saw the boy.

The boy glanced her way at the sound of his name and welcomed himself inside the classroom when he found the place empty except his teacher.

She grinned when she saw how his face showed confusion. Maybe she was imagining it but she was sure that she needed him right then.

"Walking along the corridors at this hour? Shouldn't you be practicing?" she inquired.

"There are no practices today," he said, pondering since when did his teacher started caring about his matters.

"Perfect!" she said and straightened herself. "Get a chair and sit beside me," she ordered.

Tezuka neither made any sound of protest nor showed any indication that he was against it so Miwako was confident of this one. With a smile, she divided the papers into two and laid it in front of her student when he finally sat beside her.

"Do you have a red pen?" she asked and clapped when Tezuka nodded. "Check the papers; this will count as your detention."

Tezuka merely looked at her that she couldn't help but laugh.

"Yeah, I know you're not late. But you don't have tennis practice today and I'm dead tired with all the school works, okay? Think of this as your detention that should have been given to you yesterday. Besides, I let you pass the other day, right?" her voice sounded as if she was begging but she didn't care. She was really begging anyway.

"And besides, your girlfriend harassed me earlier. She should have been put in detention but seeing that she really loves you, I decided to put the detention on you instead."

Tezuka didn't waste his time listening to his teacher's rambles but put the answer key between them and started checking.

"Very good," Miwako tapped his back and started checking as well.

For a while, they worked in complete silence until Miwako finally gave up, her arms throwing up in the air.

"Ah!" she screamed, her voice echoing throughout the room.

Tezuka raised his head to look at her.

"How can you work like that?" her face looked as if she was in deep pain when Tezuka turned her way. "You look completely the same when we started working and you never even uttered a word!"

In reply, he just cocked his head to the side. He couldn't really get how his silence irritated her so much.

"Can't you ask me about my hobbies or how my day went?" she asked with an incredulous tone.

"Sensei, I think your answer in the last item is wrong," he said instead as he laid the questionnaire in front of his baffled teacher. "Since this is an imaginary number," he pointed the number and traced an imaginary line as if transposing it. "We will not be able to plot it."

Miwako who was only staring and using incredulous tone earlier was gaping openly at him, "You actually know how to talk!" she cried as she put a hand on her hand.

Tezuka sighed when he found his teacher not paying attention to what he was saying, "Sensei—"

"Alright, alright," she waved a dismissive hand. "I heard you, right? You seem to have fetish correcting your teacher, don't you?" her hand grabbed the paper in Tezuka's hand begrudgingly, her brown eyes examining it carefully.

Her eyes widened slightly in realization. For the second time of the day the boy currently occupying the seat beside her dared to rectify her. Not just any mistake this time but _an item _in her test.

"Why does he always notice my mistakes?" she asked mostly to herself, her eyebrows burrowing as she ducked her head lower on the paper. "Why does it have to be him?"

"Sensei—"

His sentence was yet again interrupted by Miwako's sharp voice, "Did you mark the last items wrong?" she asked when her eyes landed the almost finished work of Tezuka and her half-finished ones.

"No," he answered. "I left the last item."

Miwako was taken aback once again. He was confident enough to leave the last item unchecked. "T-That's…great, I guess."

He nodded and continued working.

She looked at the half done papers in front of her. It was already tiring enough to go this far and yet, she still had to redo the last item and go through each and every paper. Instinctively, she glanced sideward to have a look on Tezuka's work. Undoubtedly, he was an efficient worker. Not once did he stop to yawn or protest. He was not planning to talk to her until he finished his work and she suspected that he wouldn't even attempt a conversation even after he was done – unlike her but definitely ideal in desperate times.

"Tezuka-kun? Do you have any homework?" she asked rather nervously.

Tezuka raised a brow in confusion but answered 'yes' anyway.

With his disappointing answer, Miwako opted to keep silent about her idea of making him work the other half of her part. It was already demanding of her when she audaciously asked for his help; it would probably be impossible if she would ask him to stay longer.

Noticing her sudden sullen face, Tezuka's eyes landed on her paperwork. He was quite astonished to see that there was no progress at all. And despite the fact, she still chose sulking than working.

"Sensei, I'm finished," he informed though the only answer he got was a nod from her.

He resisted the urge to sigh as he stood up and grabbed his bag all the while putting the red pen he held inside his bag. Without second thoughts, he lifted his chair and returned it back to where it originally belonged.

"Insufferable, insensitive jerk," his ears heard his teacher whispered, his head feeling the murderous glare the bore through his skull. "He should have asked me if I needed more help."

Though Tezuka decided to ignore her, "I'm going," he said as he worked his way towards the door.

"Wait!" Miwako exclaimed, both of her palms placed in front of her and extended to stop him. "I promise to buy you ice cream afterwards just…help me with the other half," she pleaded as her hands clasped together in anticipation and anxiety. "You see…I still need to do the visual aids for tomorrow."

Tezuka didn't know whether he should agree or not to his teacher's plea. Not only wasn't he under detention anymore, he still had assignments to do as well. And there was no way he was giving in to any bribery; especially _not _for an ice cream.

Although he wouldn't deny the fact that it was still a plea, if not an order, from his teacher. As much as he wanted to ignore her, there was still the authority in her words added the fact that she indeed looked very tired.

With a helpless sigh, his hand reached for the nearest chair and pulled it beside his sensei.

"Thank you!" Miwako cried as her left hand tapped Tezuka's back gratefully and her right hand dividing the papers into two. "You're such a great help," she said and started checking with renewed energy.

"You know, there's this ice cream shop that I always look forward to see whenever I go home. It's where my dad always takes me when he was alive," she said absentmindedly as she tapped her chin with her pen.

Now he knew why she wasn't able to finish her work earlier.

"And then," her hand covered the paper in front of him to grab his attention. "There is this flavor that I always like to order. I promise I'll order that for two later. My treat," she smiled and turned to continue her work.

Finally, when they were able to finish their work and with Miwako miraculously staying silent for whole fifteen minutes, they stood up and started to pack their things – Miwako's things precisely. She stretched her arms as she waited for Tezuka to return the chair he borrowed earlier.

"Why don't you talk?" Miwako started while her hands grabbed the box of visual aids. "Do you have say…some kind of disease? Are you special? Erm…autistic?"

Tezuka kept silent though looked as if he was kind of insulted, in Miwako's point of view anyway.

"So you're not," Miwako said and tapped the bunch of papers for Tezuka to carry. "What's the problem then? Are you always bullied or just simply a hermit?"

"I just prefer silence," Tezuka finally answered and begun walking out of the classroom.

"I see," Miwako nodded and followed her student's lead. "But isn't it kind of annoying when one person tries to talk to you and you keep ignoring or just nodding at her or worse…yes, settling for silence?"

Tezuka merely shrugged and continued walking.

"Exactly, just like that. It's damn annoying," Miwako admitted when they reached the teacher's lounge.

Tezuka opened the door and let her in, "I find it unnecessary to reply."

"Even so," Miwako said as she dropped the box with a loud thump on the floor. The faculty had been deserted, she realized, except for some teachers and her mentor, Usami-sensei.

"Tezuka-san," Usami-sensei called. "I see that she put you again in detention," she said looked at Miwako's direction.

In panic, Miwako pushed Tezuka aside as she waved a defensive hand in front of her, "Oh no, Usami-sensei," she said as she shook her head with a disbelieving expression as if the thought never even occurred to her. "Me? Tezuka? In detention? Of course not! Right Tezuka?" she was raising both of her brows as she faced Tezuka's way with a smile as if to convince her student, her hand slapping his arm in a seemingly good-naturedly manner.

"Yes," Tezuka said.

"Good!" Miwako shouted. "I mean, it's good that you're back, Usami-sensei. I was praying that you'll get better soon. Look! You're here now," she supplemented when the old woman gave her a disapproving look.

"Anyway," she interrupted even before her mentor could say anything. "You see, Tezuka here has a lot of assignments and it will be bad if he will not go home soon. So we'll head first!" her hand held Tezuka's left arm as she pushed him to the door. "Take care, Usami-sensei!" was the final words she said with a wave as she closed the door behind her.

"Tezuka," Miwako said with a serious look. "Sometimes you have to know when you should stay silent. Do you know what she would do if she would know that I put you in detention again?" she shivered at the thought.

She waited for him to answer but just only received silence as a response. "Putting that aside," she started. "Let's get you home before your parents kill me," her hand reached for his as she dragged him across the hallways.

Miwako sighed as she felt herself getting more drained as the time passed. The mere fact that she was involving herself with Tezuka boy more than necessary was tiring enough. Worse, she still had to deal with her lesson plan later. Her hand gripped on the boy's tighter as she felt the pressure already building up inside her. If there would be just someone to help her in times like this…

"Tezuka?" she turned to him who was, surprisingly, staring at their linked hands. "Oh sorry, I forgot you already had a girlfriend," she apologized and unclasped away from him.

"Anyway," she continued. "What does your former teacher do to make her life easier with visual aids and lesson plans? I heard she was your ex-girlfriend."

Tezuka gave her a questioning look.

"So it's still one-sided?" Miwako scratched the back of her head. "Why do a lot of girls feel attracted to you? Tell me what you think," she ordered and placed her hand in front of his hand as if holding a microphone.

"She made power points instead of writing things in visual aids," Tezuka said after some time.

Miwako couldn't help but snort in response, "You're diverting the topic. I'm asking you about girls and your seemingly non-existent love life."

Tezuka raised a brow. He couldn't figure out how their conversation ended up about girls and his love life. "I never thought about them," he admitted and instinctively thought of the tennis team as soon as they pass the tennis courts and reached the gates.

"Oh God, Tezuka!" Miwako shouted and put a hand on her forehead as if experiencing the most excruciating migraine. "People fall in love! Unless you're not human?"

"I am," he answered plainly and as he was about to turn a corner.

"Stop there," Miwako said as she grabbed his arm. "Let's go straight. I promised to buy you ice cream didn't I?" she smiled when Tezuka followed her lead.

"But really, you never fell in love before? Do you even have a crush? Are you homosexual?" Miwako probed with utter curiosity. Surely, she had never met someone like him before. "Homosexual? Yes! Poor Emina-san, her heart will surely break when she finally realizes that Tezuka Kunimitsu is nothing but an insecure male who hides his woman side inside a closet."

Despite the teasing, Tezuka opted not to respond.

"I was joking, alright? I never saw you as homosexual," she winked at him. "So…did you ever fall in love? 'Cause if you ask me, by the looks of it, you're afraid."

Tezuka merely looked ahead as he watched the orange hue of the sun slowly disappearing, the sky being replaced by the night sky. The words of his sensei were far from his thoughts but seemed to have hit something that he wasn't sure of.

"Have you been rejected before?" Miwako asked further. "Oh! We're here!" she exclaimed before he could have spoken.

"Save us seats," Miwako said and pushed him. "I know the best. I'll order for you," she tapped her chest lightly and fell in line. "Go!" she ushered him away when she noticed him not moving.

With this, Tezuka turned to find them their seats and found a spot at the corner with two chairs facing each other. Thinking that it was a good place enough, he sat down and placed his bag on the opposite seat.

It was really odd, he thought to himself. Instead of him doing his assignments, he was there to eat an ice cream with his teacher. Just like yesterday. He just hoped that the girl earlier in his class would not further cause his teacher any problem. He wouldn't want yet another sermon or 'love advice' from Okiayu-sensei.

"Isn't this like a date?" Miwako interrupted his thoughts with a laugh as she sat in front of him with a tray of chocolate-filled syrup ice cream laid atop it. "Aren't you supposed to instinctively choose the vacant seat closest to you? This place is kind of secluded if you ask me," she teased and put his share before him.

His sensei, he noted, tends to mix and twist things.

"Anyway," she tapped the table to get his attention. "What's your dominant hand?"

And she never runs out of topics.

"Left," he answered and scooped himself a spoon of the cold cream.

Her mouth fell open then, "Are you serious?" she asked with disbelief.

Confused as to why she was even surprised, he simply nodded.

"But left-handed people are supposed to be emotional!" she exclaimed. "I thought so! You're not human after all!"

Tezuka sighed as he looked at her untouched and already melting ice cream.

"Oh," she said when her eyes followed where his gaze landed. She scooped a spoon for herself, her face contorting slightly when the cold food entered her mouth. "But really," she said after gulping the melted cream. "I'm left-handed as well."

Tezuka nodded, he noticed it earlier when they were checking the papers. He wondered why she didn't notice his dominant hand then.

"Oh by the way," she said with a smile. "You're probably really a special child. Other than my father, I never brought anyone here but you."

Unsure of how respond, he settled for silence.

"You should at least say 'thank you', you know?" she clicked her tongue as she hit the bowl of her ice cream with her spoon. "You're the most…unsociable person I've ever met," she said distractedly as her gaze glanced outside, recognizing some familiar faces that she feared to remember.

"Thank you," he muttered anyway and continued eating his ice cream.

"The ice cream just turned sour," she said, causing him to raise his head as he was sure that the ice cream just tasted fine. "Their king must be nearby."

Tezuka cocked a brow as he followed her gaze only to see a group of students wearing gray uniforms with tennis bags on their shoulders.

'_Hyotei,' _he remembered.

…**To be continued**


	5. Class Visitation

**Chapter 5: Class Visitation **

The past two weeks surprisingly went normal in Miwako's point of view. Her mother had, as usual, woken her up with her booming voice for whole thirty minutes and she, on the other hand, consistently failed to have her breakfast. She couldn't really help it; the laptop that she bought for herself, which she thought would help her with reports, wasn't cooperating every single moment she opened it resulting to her sleepless nights.

It was Tezuka Kunimitsu's fault. If it weren't for him shamelessly giving the idea that she should do her reports using PowerPoint, she would have just endured using visual aids. She never thought that not having the knowledge about the small machine would make things worse.

After a whole week of attempt to understand the said machine, she gave up. The laptop, which costs months of her salary, was left inside her cabinet untouched after that. She would have given it another shot if she didn't lose the manual that she realized she should have read first.

In simple terms, her weeks went normally bad.

Though she wouldn't expect better; she was already contented enough that Emina-san stopped her assaults on her. Whether it was her decision or Tezuka being able to tame her, she guessed that she just had to be thankful.

However, there were still times when she relentlessly attempted to put Tezuka in detention. After all, it was Tezuka's fault that she wasn't able to understand how to make the laptop function. She once confronted him about it, but the stoic kid just responded with his usual robotic antics.

"_It's your entire fault!" she accused him._

_Inside the teacher's lounge, there he was, sat stiffly across her table, helping her checking with her students' quizzes. _

_She_ coincidentally_ found out that the tennis team had earlier dismissals during Wednesday so she had some sort of decided to pay the courts a visit and bumped into Tezuka after the practice ended. After he said yes when she asked him if he had some free time, she immediately dragged him inside the faculty, much to Usami-sensei's dismay._

"_I don't see how it is my fault that you didn't know how to use your laptop," he answered as he continued to work on yet another half of Miwako's paperwork._

"_Tezuka, if you didn't propose the idea that I should use PowerPoint instead of visual aids, I wouldn't have bought myself a laptop and I wouldn't have sacrificed my sleeps just to understand how that stupid machine works!" _

"_Okiayu-sensei," Usami-sensei's stern voice interrupted in the background. "It's not Tezuka-kun's fault that you didn't read the manual. And quit whining, you're already interrupting the works of the other teachers."_

And that was when it hit her. She didn't read the manual and Usami-sensei was imposing that it was her entire mistake. Although she thought that Tezuka should have warned her that she first read the manual before doing anything else.

"Okiayu-sensei? Okiayu-sensei!" someone called her name.

"Yes?" she turned only to see her great mentor's disapproving look.

"You're not listening again!" the old woman sighed as she put a hand on her head.

Realizing that she was staring into space again, Miwako stood up and bowed to apologize, "So-Sorry," she said and scratched her head. "I kind of missed breakfast today."

"Yes," Usami-sensei nodded. "You had been using the same excuse for the past two weeks. Anyway," the woman turned her chair so that she was properly faced towards Miwako. "Two days from now, there will be a Class Visitation Day(1)," her mentor explained causing other teachers groan.

"What about it?" Miwako asked with little interest.

"You don't know about it?" a stout man on her left, who she recognized as Hondo-sensei, asked and sip his cup of coffee.

Apparently, she didn't.

"Every year, parents will be given the opportunity to visit the school and see how their children perform in their class. _Our _job is to give them questions included within the latest scopes of the lessons we taught."

"Uhuh," Hanasegawa-sensei said as she re-touched her foundation for the nth time of the day. "Mainly, it's for the parents to observe and evaluate their children, but well…"

"Well?" Miwako cocked a brow in confusion at the sudden stalling of her co-teacher.

"Ah," Sato-sensei then interrupted as his finger tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Some parents are just too cruel."

"Cruel?" Misami-sensei, who was just as clueless as she was, asked in a curious tone, leaning her body forward so as to hear more of the on-going conversation.

"Some of them blame teachers for their child's incompetence," Sato-sensei answered and shrugged. "The math teacher before Okiayu-sensei was rumored to have quitted because of the harsh comments of a parent. It was never confirmed though," his eyes landed Misami-sensei's confused eyes and continued. "She just quit after the Class Visitation Day."

"Before me?"

"Uhuh," Sato-sensei nodded.

'_I thought she quitted because she fell in love with Tezuka?' _

Everyone turned with flabbergasted faces to her as soon as the words slip out of her mouth. She, it seemed, had spoken her thoughts out loud unconsciously.

"Wha-What?" she stuttered as her eyes met their widened ones (if looking at different pairs of eyes was even possible, that is).

"She fell in love with whom?" questioned Hanasegawa-sensei, the foundation she held accidentally falling off her hands.

Finally realizing her blunder, her left hand immediately reached to cover her gaping mouth. She never thought that it was supposed to be kept from public. How she prayed for God's mercy to save her from Usami-sensei's wrath.

"Oh?" she amended with an obvious attempt to give off the best innocence she could muster. "Who fell in love with whom?" though it was clear to her that the fake edge to it would not even deceive an imbecile.

"You just said that the teacher before you fell in love with Tezuka-kun," Misami-sensei was just kind to reiterate.

"Where did that come from?" Miwako gave out a nervous laugh. "I have never met her, really. So! About the Class Visitation!"

With a sigh, everyone decided to ignore her sudden strange behavior and continued with their works. But she had yet to be relieved as she could practically hear her mentor's thoughts killing her. She smiled nervously when she met Usami-sensei's black eyes burning and almost popping out of their sockets in anger.

Although she wanted to laugh at Usami-sensei's overreaction, after all, she never intended to speak her thoughts out loud, she simply couldn't. It was her fault for being so insensitive and careless. She basically blurted out that former teacher's secret misstep of falling in love with her student to everyone. It wasn't her secret and business to begin with. She could only reprimand herself for the stupidity she had made.

"Meet me later," she heard her mentor's icy voice.

Miwako just wished she would stay alive.

**0.0**

And that was how she ended up with all the pile of paper works. She was quite surprised that even teachers had their own detentions. Of course, no sane person would believe that there really was, but she was just so guilty that she could not muster the courage to disagree to Usami-sensei's terms.

Miwako had to admit that she wanted to ask for help from her co-workers. Besides, if it had not been for them bringing up the topic, she would not have blurted out things she was not supposed to. But there was the fact that they were as well teachers with equally packed schedule, maybe even more hectic, and it would really be wrong for her to bother them for the punishment that was duly given to her. She was already guilty enough for committing her earlier mistake; she would not dare risk troubling more people.

In the end, she decided that she would do it all by herself. She might really appear insensitive, but she knew well how to be responsible in the right times, especially if there would be no one to blame but her.

"I give up," though this was the only thing she could say whenever her eyes would land the pile of papers on her desk.

Stupid, careless mouth.

If only she had been much cautious, she would not be checking the papers that were supposed to be the old woman's job. And damn, Usami-sensei had great deal of paper works. Her mentor, she found out, was handling more classes than her. The old woman was already kind enough to cut the work in halves so she would be able to finish hers but unfortunately, she had always been asking for Tezuka's help since she started. It only goes to say that she could not even accomplish her _own _paperwork without someone's help. Taking another load would make her job more improbable.

To her chagrin, she had been so much dependent to her student without even realizing it. It was kind of ironic knowing that she almost detested seeing him before.

"Where is he?" she asked to herself as she banged her table frustratingly.

And at that moment, all she ever wanted was for the stoic boy to magically appear by the doorway of the teacher's lounge.

_Ironic, really._

Not that she was expecting for him to come, but she just thought that she should not start working as long as he was not there as if it were some mantra that would make Tezuka feel that she needed his help.

As if on cue, she heard silent taps on the door. Her anticipation could not get higher as the door slowly and painfully opened.

"Sensei," the person called.

With a smile, she looked up to her hope and savior, "Tezuka! I wasn't expecting you'd be around this late. What brings you here?"

Instead of answering though, the boy's eyes landed the piles of papers which were on top of Miwako's table.

"Oh, _this_?" she patted the bunch of files. "It's nothing, don't mind it."

She was not even sure if she was doing the right thing, but she thought that asking Tezuka bluntly to sit beside her and start checking the papers would be rude. If she would, for once, decline his offer to help, maybe it would encourage him even more to give her a hand.

"Fuji said he wasn't able to give you this," he said and handed her a piece of paper. "It's the class attendance."

She almost forgot about it. Earlier, when she asked if anyone in the class would be kind enough to assist her with the attendance, Fuji volunteered even before she blinked her eyes. It kind of surprised her since she never thought he (or anyone) would be willing to do works for her; she was actually prepared to call the help of the secretary in case no one would dare to offer. But in the end, she guessed that she would really have to reevaluate her impressions on him.

"You're really a pushover," she said and took the paper from Tezuka's hand. "You should have said that he should bring it over himself."

"He was in a hurry," Tezuka replied.

"You're a busy person too, you know?" she huffed and skimmed through the sheet in front of her. "You should have declined."

Tezuka raised a brow, confused as to why his teacher was suddenly questioning his willingness to do favor for his teammate.

"Anyway," she said with a dismissive hand. "Go home before your parents kill me."

In truth, Miwako expected that he would follow and turn his back on her before she would have had the chance to stop him and ask for his help, but he didn't. He stood there still as if she didn't say anything, his gaze simply pinned on her work – her _untouched _work. Good. It only meant that her plan was working.

"What?" she tried to feign annoyance. "Don't tell me you will volunteer to check these papers? You're not that chivalrous, are you?"

Silence.

"Are you insisting?" Miwako said with an impatient tone. If Tezuka really wanted to help, he should say so himself. "Well, you're insisting… right?" she asked, her eyes expectant.

"Tezuka!" she slapped her hands together when she heard no response to catch the attention of the tennis captain.

"Why can't you just say that you want to help me so that we can start?" she propped up her chin on her left hand and stared wearily at her stoic student. "You're so _unbearable_."

With his late afternoons spent with her, Tezuka had come to realize that it was pointless to argue with his teacher. She always thought that he was wrong and he was at fault, no matter how complicated and twisted her reasoning might be (he wouldn't tell her that was what he thought though).

"It's not like I'm expecting you to come and help me with this," she started to ramble and made her familiar dividing gesture. "It's just that…if you really want to help, then I won't keep you from doing so. And Tezuka, can you please stop staring? I'm already tempted to punch your face."

He raised a brow as if to question her last statement.

"Damn, can you please stop being silent and tell me what's on your mind? Are you drunk?"

How she could conclude that by the way he stared at her was beyond his comprehension.

"Tezuka!" she slapped her table, causing some papers to topple over. "How can you be so…dead?" her face contorted in agony.

"Sensei," he said finally to prevent his teacher from her further hysteria. "I'll help," and with this, her teacher's earlier pained expression transformed into something relieved and happy.

"Stop torturing me like that, you know?" she said and pulled a chair beside her, tapping it to usher the boy to take it. "By the way, do you have any assignments?"

"Yes," he simply answered and got the three-fourths of the work.

Miwako, though confused, just ignored his gesture and asked, "How many?" She knew she needed help, but she was well aware that selfishly disregarding the fact that her student had some other things to attend to would be irresponsible on her part.

"Four," he said, his eyes on the papers and his hand already busy checking.

"No way," Miwako's eyes widened at the realization, her head shaking in disbelief. "And did you start doing them? Are you finished?"

"I haven't started yet," was his reply.

"Then why are you here?" Miwako inquired, quite insulted by the fact. "I can do this, you know?" she said, her left hand covering the papers which Tezuka currently occupied himself with.

He briefly looked at her and proceeded removing her hands which were blocking his view of the answer key, "They're all due next week," he replied and shrugged when his teacher continued staring into space.

His thoughts were right, he would be finished checking half of the papers without her finishing ten. He could only sigh.

"Hey, Tezuka," Okiayu-sensei said, her face suddenly too close that it surprised him. "You have cute ears," she laughed and tugged his ears.

"Sensei," Tezuka pulled back, his hand removing his teacher's, when she didn't made an attempt to stop her self from the bothering activity of pulling his earlobes. "Start working," he said firmly as if reprimanding a child.

"Ha ha, sorry, sorry," Miwako laughed. "It's some kind of…fetish, just like your fetish in correcting your teachers' mistake," there was silence when Tezuka (as per usual) decided not comment.

"All right! Fine! I won't do it again!" she shouted defensively when he continued the cold treatment (as if it wasn't cold enough before). "You're so sensitive."

Tezuka found him self frowning as he thought that he made it clear that he just wanted to help his teacher to finish her work earlier. But then again, she just had to blame everything on him … even if it was very apparent that it was her fault.

His thoughts continued as his hand busily checked the papers. True, he wasn't really a person to do multi-tasking. Everything was neatly plotted in his schedule, and he was sure that he had been strict in following it. Well, not until his teacher came into his life. His assignments should have been his priority but he was there, checking papers, with his whining and procrastinating teacher when he could have done something more productive. Not that he was complaining, after all, he was the one who insisted to help despite her protest but he at least thought that Okiayu-sensei would do some efforts to make their job easier; something better than staring, a thing that she was busily doing right now while her hands were empty and resting.

And that was what he couldn't tolerate, "Sensei," he called to get her teacher's attention.

Miwako shook her head as if to wake herself, "I just…I'm thinking what did that teacher see in you," her shoulders shrugged slightly. "Let's admit it; you're not that handsome, right?"

How did the conversation lead to such topic and how should he properly answer the question raised, Tezuka completely had no idea.

"I mean, look," she motioned her arms to patronize. "You're always frowning, you're mute and you're annoying. Why would anyone have a crush on you? Worse…they fall in love with someone like you! I kind of pity them actually. And geez, you have the audacity to reject them?—"

Tezuka decided not to listen after that. There was no way they would finish the papers if he would join her in wasting time. There were still his assignments which were due tomorrow; his head started to hurt once he questioned his rationality, _again_, why on earth he decided to lie about the due date and help her. He should have known better that this would happen.

"Hey, Tezuka," Miwako elbowed him to catch his attention. _Finally_, she was starting with her part.

He turned to her slightly, an indication that he was listening.

"Is the Class Visitation Day really frightening?" she asked with a nervous smile as she sheepishly scratched her head.

"No," Tezuka answered, somehow bewildered why his teacher suddenly asked.

"Ne," her hand absentmindedly doodled the papers in front of her. "I have to confess something."

"Sensei," the glassed boy's eyes widened when he finally realized what his teacher had been doing all along, his hand reaching hers instinctively to stop her.

They remained silent for a while yet much to his surprise, and maybe to Okiayu-sensei's as well, the calm atmosphere did not linger when she suddenly (violently) pulled back at his gesture. It wasn't because he was expecting that she'd be fine with any physical contact, but, as far as he was concerned, she made no indication of being conscious before when she first held his hand.

"I know!" she clapped her hands, confusing Tezuka all the more. "Why don't you help me prepare for the Class Visitation?"

He could only stare.

"I guess that's too much?" she tapped her pen on her chin thoughtfully. "And by the way Tezuka, can you do me a favor?"

Tezuka cocked a brow to respond.

Although such response always bothered for a lot of reasons, she opted to ignore it and said, "Don't touch me again; it's confusing me."

She waited for a reply but her serious request was merely answered by her student's silence.

"What?"

"I apologize," he replied stiffly. "I would not do it again."

At that, Miwako laughed and slapped his back, "Geez, you're messing with my head," she admitted offhandedly. "Let's finish this. I'll treat you ice cream."

…**To be continued**

**Author's Notes: **

(1) The idea of 'Class Visitation' came from an episode in "Katekyo Hitman Reborn!". I do not own the idea. Please do not sue. ;)

I apologize for the grammatical errors (I was not able to pass this to any of my beta-readers) and for my being inactive this whole time. University life sucks XD

Tell me what you think?


	6. Meet My Boyfriend

**A/N: **I really have to apologize for the long delay. This chapter was long done, but I did not realize until I checked my files. Same goes with my other stories. /sighs/ Of course, that is if anyone is still waiting for my updates? Anyway, this chapter is not long as I expected it to be, I was planning to make it longer but my being inactive for the past few months is getting me agitated; I really have to post this chapter as soon as possible, that is what I thought. And since that is the case, even if I wanted to take some more time so that my beta would be able to edit this, I decided to post this earlier. However, do not worry as I have the very intention to re-read it (I have been doing that actually with all of my stories). As per usual, please feel free to correct my grammar and characterization by giving your comments.

So yeah, so much for the long author's notes. Please proceed :)

**0.0**

**Chapter 6: Meet My Boyfriend**

She propped her chin on her left hand as she stared at the very same man who was with her last two weeks at the very same place. She must have gone insane. It was understandable that she would treat him once but twice was really going beyond the line. She knew well that she would be blasted if anyone sees them together…_alone_, and inside an ice cream shop at that.

His head rose after two scoops of ice creams; maybe out of sheer habit or maybe because she was staring at him the whole time she could not be sure. But of course, he wouldn't ask her what's wrong.

"Sensei," Miwako's eyes widen in surprise.

Tezuka did _not _just start a conversation.

"Is something wrong with you?" she asked, her tone sounding so curious.

And yes, the kid never failed her; he responded with his raised eyebrow.

"Come on, Tezuka," Miwako sighed. "You can do better than that!"

But then, he wouldn't understand. He would remain silent just as she had always predicted and she would want to rip her hair off out of frustration, "You can ask me, 'What are you talking about?' or something like that," Miwako said and scooped herself a spoonful of ice cream. "Try to be more human," she added as if encouraging him.

"I need to go home," her student finally replied after a long moment of silence.

"Finally," she answered and felt her shoulders slumped. "You could have just said so instead of staring at me for about two minutes without saying anything! It's unnerving if you ask me. Talking to you just drains my energy," her hand reached for the tissue on her right.

"So…" she trailed, wiping her mouth. " Should I take you home? You can go on your own, right?"

"I can go by myself," Tezuka curtly replied and grabbed his bag from the chair beside him.

"Of course," she nodded to herself as she carelessly threw the tissue on the table. "You're not a seven-year-old kid."

It wasn't like she was being irresponsible; after all, it was her fault (again) that her student would go home late. But she just thought that if anyone sees them together, it wouldn't be very beautiful. The incident at the faculty when she asked Tezuka to play 'rock, scissors, paper' with her was already enough to make his girlfriend go berserk. It would only be wise for her to keep her distance with the said boy.

"Hey," she said, her hand stopping him mid-way from standing up. "Text me when you get home. I need to know if you got home safe."

At that, the boy reluctantly reached for the pocket of his bag and brought out his phone.

Miwako smiled; it was her chance to brag about her new bought cellular phone. Truth be told, it was her very first time to buy one so she was quite excited to let people know about it. Not that she purposely wanted to let Tezuka go home by himself for such selfish reason. Definitely not.

Her hand confidently searched through her bag. And as soon as her fingers touched the small gadget, she brought it up proudly, rubbing it on Tezuka's face that she had the better brand.

"So!" she exclaimed, waving the phone in front of the four-eyed boy's face. "How do I use this?"

She hadn't read the manual of course.

With a sigh, her student grabbed the phone from her hands.

"Isn't it great?" she asked and stood up, moving across the table and watching what her student is doing from behind. "Something so small can do something so great. I really think human beings have done a lot with the advancement of technology."

Her rumbles continued and he continued to ignore her.

"I just have to press the button at the center, right?"

The boy nodded and stood up; he neither paused nor looked behind, he just left after placing her phone gently on the table.

Miwako frowned, slightly disappointed at how her student behaved. She wasn't expecting him to be filled with awe once he saw her new found gadget (he was Tezuka Kunimitsu, after all), but he could have just said something, _anything_, not leave like he wasn't interested at all.

"Yeah…go ahead!" she shouted as the door closed the door behind him.

So much for being haughty.

**0.0**

The next day could not get any worse. She woke up late as per usual, didn't have her breakfast and was scolded by Usami-sensei. Everyone would have thought that it was just bad, nothing worse, in her routine, but she, as stupid as she could be, just agreed to have a meeting with her high school friends when she had yet to prepare for the class visitation tomorrow.

She wasn't, in any way, getting a hard time making the questions; there was just the fact that other teachers were making the event so horridly frightening that she had thought to herself that she should do some soul purification before she could have met her students' parents. Not to mention that the high school friends that she would be meeting are not really real friends of hers. They were just some people she met when she was forced to clean a classroom by senior bullies. Meeting with those people, who were technically strangers to her (how they got her home number, she doesn't know), is not exactly what she could call something refreshing for her soul. It would calm her not the least bit.

"Sensei," someone called from her left, making her cringe as soon as she remembered whose voice it was.

"Fuji-san," she said, slightly quivering, when she made an eye contact with said student. She really wondered, a lot of people were saying that the boy rarely opens his blue eyes. "What brings you here?"

"Ah…I forgot to bring you this a while ago," he said, handing to her a piece of paper with which she recognized as the class attendance.

"Oh, thank you," she muttered weakly.

"Have you seen our captain? He seems to be late for practice," the boy said when she reached out for the paper.

"Your captain?" Miwako repeated, quite unsure of who Fuji was referring to.

"Yes, Tezuka Kunimitsu," he replied with a smile – the smile that scares the hell out of her.

She didn't know, but her student just makes her uncomfortable – well, at least to the point that she forgot that Tezuka was the captain of the tennis team…or rather she overlook the fact that Fuji was part of the tennis team, "Tezuka?" she spoke after some moment, the boy is really teaching her to be quiet sometimes. "I haven't seen him."

Speaking of the ice cold tennis captain, she had not seen him except during their class this morning. She hadn't even received the text message she was asking from him yesterday. Even if he was such a busybody, he could have sent a blank message that would inform her he was safe; he could have been the first person to text her. Truth was, she wasn't able to give out her number to her colleagues as she was kind of, believe it or not, shy to do so. She wasn't an important figure to begin with.

"Aa…I see, maybe he's already at the tennis courts now," her student said. "I should get going, sensei," with a bow, he turned and left the teacher's lounge.

Odd, how she sigh with relief as soon as Fuji left the room. He wasn't really frightening; his face was feminine and his voice was rather soft. But every time he was around, Miwako would immediately feel her hairs standing up.

"Anyway," she said to herself and clapped her hands. "I should get going too."

"And where are you going, Okiayu-sensei?" her mentor called, causing her to bump her right knee on her table with a start.

"Ouch!" she exclaimed and looked at Usami-sensei's saggy face with a helpless look; since when did the old woman got inside, Miwako definitely had no idea.

"Aren't you supposed to be checking some quizzes of your students right now?"

"Usami-sensei, stop startling people like that," Miwako whined as she rubbed her knee.

"It's not my fault that you're always inattentive," Usami-sensei replied as she sat down on her place. "Are you ready for the class visitation, anyway? Don't get disheartened with anything parents will say. Sometimes, their children just brainwashes them by saying that it's their teacher's fault."

Miwako fiddled with the ball pen on her left nervously, "Uhm…sensei, I kind of…you know, have a meeting today," she uttered almost inaudibly.

"," she said in one breath as she grabbed her bag and stood up. "I have to leave!"

And without waiting for her mentor's reply, Miwako rushed out of the teacher's lounge.

"Okiayu-sensei!" she heard Usami-sensei shouted as she closed the door behind her.

Her heart pounded fast as she ran through the corridors. If one doesn't know her, he would probably think that she was just some student fooling about. With her white blouse and short, brown skirt; her black hair even stylishly ponytailed on the left side, most would shake their heads if she would affirm that she is a teacher. Her mentor even scolded her about it earlier as the older woman thought that it was inappropriate for a professional like her – a teacher no less – to be wearing such clothes.

She begged to disagree; Ryuuzaki-sensei was never scolded for her pink jogging pants. She couldn't understand what was wrong with her outfit and what was right with Ryuuzaki-sensei's. It would have been fine if she dressed up for nothing, but she was meeting some people that afternoon. Even with her explanations, Usami-sensei insisted that she should change on something before she could have put her in detention again.

God knows how hard it was to check those papers.

She thought even Tezuka was pissed off checking them.

"Just wait and see until I'm done with this meeting," she whispered with a determined look on her eyes as she stared back at the school building. "I'll show you that I can finish my work."

She did not waste any more time; she ran as fast as she could away from the school ground. She had to hurry or else she would be paying for their dinner. It was, after all, their rule.

**0.0**

"Miwako-chan!" she heard a familiar voice shouted from afar. It had been long since she heard it; they were all professionals right now.

Even if they were not really close friends to begin with, Miwako appreciates the gesture. She had to admit that she was slightly baffled and uncomfortable with the set-up when they phoned her, but the air of adult atmosphere, especially with the fact that she always dealt with people who are relatively younger since she started teaching, is good for her health once in a while.

"Emiko-san!" Miwako shouted back as she approached the figures forming some sort of semi-circular shape as if welcoming her.

Her eyes widened in surprise. It wasn't because of the fact that they were welcoming her; she knew that those people were known for being amiable towards others, specifically the people they refer to as "lost" souls…people like her (well, at least when she was in high school). What she didn't expect was their number and the fact that some of them are male. And here she thought it was supposed to be a _girl_ talk.

"Miwako-chan!" a woman with brown hair and blue eyes, clinging tightly to the arms of a mustached and masculine guy beside her shrieked in a high-pitched tone.

Oh…it was only the acting leader of their group – Okita Aoko.

Her relationship with these people was quite vague even to herself. It was back then in her high school years when she was bullied by three upperclassmen, asking (commanding) her to clean up a classroom which was supposed to be their detention work. Knowing her position, Miwako opted to obey with no questions asked. That was, of course, back then when she was in high school.

When she was about to start cleaning the said room, Aoko's group entered the scene. They said that they were willing to help her since they couldn't stand seeing someone getting bullied by up-to-no-good students.

Honestly, Miwako was really glad. She felt rather secured to find people who are willing to stand up and assist her whenever circumstances would require it. But little did she know, all of their sweet talks were completely fraud. And of course, it was too late when she found out and understood what some of her friends were referring to and warning her about.

Aoko's group was kind of like a swindling organization… in Miwako's point of view anyway. They help students in times of need, gaining their trust in the process, and then asking something in return when the right time comes. You could not say 'no' since you have already benefited from them; they would ask payment twice or even more for the services they offered. Though they wouldn't tell you directly, all of them would still act buddy-buddy with you but with imperatives and demands in their mouths this time.

"We thought we should have a group date," explained Aoko as she tugged her hair behind her ear, acting eerily cute suddenly. "Sorry, I know you wouldn't have a boyfriend so I decided not to tell you."

Mari on the other hand, a girl who had been wearing flimsy blue skirts since the world began, spoke with a regretful tone, "I knew she would be single," she smiled. "Well, you can always enjoy as long as you're with us."

Why did they decide to do such thing on that day was completely beyond Miwako's thinking.

"Of course I have a boyfriend," she grinned and raised her chin higher; she wouldn't allow these people get the better of her this time. "In fact," she lifted a finger upwards. "He's so in-love with me that I can call him anytime and he'll rush to find me."

"Re-Really?" they collectively answered, stuttering slightly at her revelation.

Unfortunately, Miwako was obviously bluffing. There was no way a man would rush up to a woman just because she called him. Well, not at least in the twenty first century. And she is inside Japan; it is ludicrous to think that such man exists. Simply put, it was just her imaginary boyfriend.

"Well then," clapped the girl beside Mari excitedly, Sora who still looked the way she was when they were in high school, red ribbon and her blue blazers. "Call him!"

"Uhm…" Miwako stalled.

Right then, she knew she was blasted. There's no way they would let her out of it. If only she had any person's number on her phone right then.

Just when she was about to come clean of the fact that it was all made up, her phone suddenly beeped.

"Oh," she said with sheer surprise and confusion. "Maybe this is him," her hand reached inside her bag.

Whoever the caller was, may God bless him.

"Hello?" Miwako answered uncertainly, both of her hands holding the phone to her left ear and her feet dragging her away from the crowd.

To her further astonishment, she heard the voice of the person she least expected to call, "_Sensei_," _that _person.

"Tezuka?" she whispered, feeling the eyes of the girls behind her watching. "Why are you calling?"

"_Fuji said that he gave you the wrong paper_," he said with some murmurs and whistles from the background.

"What? Speak the human language," Miwako's brows creased as the sound from the background got louder. "I can't hear you," she said, her voice getting louder as well.

"_The class attendance,_" Tezuka spoke curtly.

"Oh," she muttered; she hated to admit it, but she sounded a little upset. _'That's it?'_

"It's all right. By the way, do you have any assignments?" she whispered hesitantly after a moment of silence, her right hand covering her mouth so that no one would hear a thing she is saying. Yes, she was a little desperate, but it was the only way she could think of to pull herself out of her predicament. "Listen, you have to come here, I really need your help. It's a life and death situation."

"_What happened?_" Tezuka inquired, his voice slightly strained.

"Do you remember the ice cream shop? _Please_, don't answer me with a nod."

"_Yes,_" she sighed in relief, her head turning slightly to glance at the four women scrutinizing her closely.

"I'm five shops away…outside a restaurant. Come here or I'll be a dead meat tomorrow," and before the tennis captain could have answered or complain, Miwako hung up. That boy better come.

"He said he's coming," Miwako grinned, half nervous and half satisfied as she watched the incredulous looks on the faces of the four women. "I think you should get inside first," she scratched her head after some thoughts. "It's getting cold and I think he's a little far from here. I'll just wait for him."

Though reluctantly, the four nodded and, along with their companions, went inside the restaurant. She just had to pray that her student would be wise enough to sense that she really was serious about being in danger (not a life and death situation, though). He should be there in ten minutes as the school isn't really far from the restaurant; if he wouldn't come, she would just definitely make her quick escape.

"Hm…" she tapped her right foot on the pavement after a moment. "He sure is late."

Of course he wasn't really late, only three minutes had passed since he called her. But no one could really blame her; she couldn't help but get agitated knowing that her pride is really at risk at that very moment.

Her head turned from side to side hoping to have a glimpse of the tall figure of the tennis captain. She knew it was so wrong; the thought that she thought of involving her student for such selfish reason makes her think twice if she should still pursue her profession or not. Maybe Atobe was right, maybe she really has I.Q. lower than that of a dog shit. She flinched at the memory, her knuckles turning white as she started shivering. Well, partly because she was angry and partly because it was really rather getting cold.

"Sensei," she almost jumped when she heard someone called her.

"Te-Tezuka?" she cocked her head to the side.

Her student looked really tired; he was perspiring a lot and his breaths come in ragged patterns. She opened her bag and took out her handkerchief, handing it to him, "Did you run?" she asked stupidly.

He nodded, pushing her hand away and reaching for his pocket, producing his own handkerchief.

So much for being concerned.

"Tsk. What exactly are you wearing?" Miwako sighed as she appraised his appearance.

He was still wearing his tennis jersey and he still held his big tennis bag. She couldn't possibly present him like this to Aoko and her companies.

She shook her head; now is not the time for her to be picky. She should be thankful enough that Tezuka was there willing to save her from those four swindlers.

"Let's go," she reached for his hand and started to drag the stoic kid inside the restaurant. The faster she gets this over with, the better.

To her surprise, he pulled back to stop her, "Where are we going?" he asked, completely bewildered by the sudden turn of events.

"Inside," Miwako said as if the fact was painfully obvious since the beginning. "Count this as a detention."

He raised a brow, "Sensei," he said as his teacher pulled her forcefully, his feet giving out to follow his teacher's orders. It was still a wonder to him why he was getting another detention, but questioning authorities was not just in his character, making it impossible for him to object.

"By the way, Tezuka," Miwako started as they made their way through the tables. "Don't call me 'sensei' for today. Call me Miwako," she glanced back as if to check Tezuka was listening. "No honorifics."

To her delight, her student gave her a nod in understanding despite his creased brows, the only indication how puzzling the situation was to him.

"Next, if you don't know how to lie, don't make an eye contact exceeding five seconds with any of the people we're meeting.

"Lastly," she squeezed his hand and lowered her voice. "I know I shouldn't really bother reminding you this since you're a one-word humanoid, but just answer 'yes' and 'no' to their questions. I'll be taking care of the rest. Just go with the flow, okay?" she said, her voice hopeful.

"Tezuka?" she asked when he didn't reply.

The only reply that she got was a half-shrug.

Right then, Miwako was certain that Tezuka Kunimitsu was pissed off.

**0.0**

He wasn't really pissed off; he was just…slightly disappointed at how his teacher was behaving. She sounded earlier as if she really was going to die that he thought something wrong happened to her. As cold as he seemed on the exterior, he really did get worried. He knew that his teacher tends to mix and exaggerate things, but, no matter how he tried to convince himself earlier, his feet still dragged him faster and he went running towards the destination his teacher said she would be at.

The moment she met him, she seemed surprised that he rushed there running…even commenting on how he was dressed when she should have perfectly known that he wasn't able to change to his uniform because she told him to rush there since she was in danger. And now, he was standing in front of people who are, Tezuka supposed, people in their mid-twenties. They were looking at him with enthusiastic looks in their eyes that Tezuka couldn't help but feel slightly unsettled.

"Hey, uhm," he heard Miwako say reluctanly, causing him to glance her way. She wasn't looking at him, or rather she was attempting not to look towards his way.

After a moment of silence, she finally uttered, "This is my boyfriend, Tezuka Kunimitsu."

…**To be continued**

**0.0**


	7. Meet the Swindlers

**A/N: **I, again, apologize for the long delay. School's in the way as per usual and it is getting more difficult for me to write het fics. My rusty vocabulary as well as my crappy story ideas are also factors and…yeah, I think you know what I mean. HAHA. But I did my best! I read and reread this chapter (I will try to look again through my previous updates though they almost always make me feel depressed XD) so that this story would improve…somehow.

Thank you for sticking with me through the chapters and even giving your precious minutes to review! I really appreciate them from the bottom of my heart. Teehee. /hugs. I hope I'll see you in the next chapters! I'm really sorry for the infrequent updates!

And, once again, thank you Kemi-chii for editing this chapter!

**0.0**

**Chapter 7: Meet the Swindlers**

_Recap_

After a moment of silence, she finally uttered, "This is my boyfriend, Tezuka Kunimitsu."

**0.0**

It could not get any more surprising for the kid; Miwako knew that more than anyone else. She was even surprised herself that she had the audacity to ask Tezuka such a big favor. She practically just asked her student out on a date, a person who is ten years younger than her and a clueless boy who was not even born when she entered junior high school. She would not be surprised anymore if she would find herself jobless the next day.

Would Tezuka sue her for sexual abuse? She could only wonder.

"Miwako-chan!" she heard Aoko shouted and banged the table impatiently.

Miwako's eyes met the woman's scrutinizing ones. It was a no-brainer. Aoko already smelled the fish.

"Introduce us to him," Aoko urged, appraising Tezuka from head to toe.

She felt Tezuka's hand squeezed her hand in question, but she decided to ignore him and gave Aoko a fake smile.

"Ha ha, sorry," she apologized not to her friends but to her student. She gripped his hand back to indicate it was for him. He remained silent, so she assumed that she was forgiven for the moment.

"This is Aoko-san, Emiko-san, Mari-san, and Sora-san," Miwako introduced her friends in clockwise direction as she pointed to them.

Each of them nodded and smiled to Tezuka, introducing their own lovers in the process. They all seemed so pleased and interested. Aoko even winked at him and pry her boyfriend's arm off her shoulder. To emphasize her interest further, she leaned on the table and propped her chin on the back of her entwined hands, her eyelashes batting in the process.

Now she could understand what Usami-sensei was talking about. Tezuka sure had that effect on older women.

'_Is she telling me to give up Tezuka for her?' _she asked herself and pushed the thought back as soon as it obtruded. She had to remind herself that Tezuka Kunimitsu was merely her student.

With a deep breath, she turned slightly to face the boy. So far, she found no indication of anger. He was frowning, but Tezuka always frowns so she thought that today was no different. He just stood there, behaved, probably confused.

She coughed so that she would get his attention. "They are my friends back in junior high. You get the picture, ne?" she tried to explain as she pulled him with her to a seat.

They were a big crowd so two tables were especially arranged and placed together for them to use. Aoko, who sat at the far end of the table with her boyfriend on her right, ushered Emiko and her boyfriend to move so that Tezuka would sit beside her.

If Aoko would just try to figure out what Tezuka's age was. The woman, Miwako noted, was too blinded of Tezuka's height and matured aura that she failed to see what he was wearing. It was a freaking tennis jersey with the name 'Seigaku Tennis Club' imprinted at the back of it. The attire was not even fitted for the place.

Not that she minded. She could always take their cluelessness to her advantage.

"Tezuka," she whispered when Aoko was busy looking at the menu. "Do you have any assignments?"

She waited for a moment taking into consideration her student's usual lack of reply. She even glanced at Emiko, who was sitting across from her, and smiled. But, to her surprise, she received no response.

Tezuka refused to answer.

So she was mistaken, Tezuka Kunimitsu was angry.

"I'm sorry, oka—" She stopped when he looked at her way. Maybe she was imagining it, but the look in Tezuka's eyes screamed that she should stop with her inquiries.

It was a sin, she knew, the moment she asked –_forced_- him out on a date. She dragged him into this mess and pushed him in a corner where he could not complain, but she really was being sorry. If she could, right then, she would really grovel for his apology. It might seem repetitive; however, she was really left with no other choice.

She let out a sigh escape her lips and averted her gaze to anything but Tezuka. It was a good thing that she did as she was able to take into account and appreciate the restaurant that her companions chose for the night.

The restaurant, she realized, had a beautiful glow. The yellow but soft lights that surrounded the place gave off a distinctive calmness that soothed her panicking soul. The small rectangular paintings that hang on the walls adjacent to the windows and a picture of an old woman at the far corner provided some sort of old but comfortable air to the place. It was crowded with people and was filled with murmurs from every side but still peaceful all the same. It was simple but very elegant in its own way.

"Miwako-chan~" A voice interrupted her thoughts causing her to raise her head and stop her left hand from tracing invisible lines one their table.

"What will you order?"

Her four friends looked at her expectantly.

"Uhm…" she trailed and looked at the menu. The foods were expensive, but she could afford two meals – one for her and one for Tezuka.

"You're paying after all." She faintly heard Aoko's voice in the background.

Ah, so it was her who would be paying.

Her head snapped up at realization. "I'm…what?" she asked uncertainly.

She must be hearing things; she must be too tired from her work. She just spent her money for her laptop, so there was no way she could treat ten people.

"Why?" Mari raised a brow, her expression telling Miwako that any complain would be useless. "You were the last one to come, and we treated you lunch when we were in junior high, right?"

There they go again. That was the very same excuse they used against her when they wanted to have a graduation party last God-knows-how-many-years-before.

She clenched left hand, her knuckles turning white. She was initially…glad that they came to see her. However, to put her on a tight spot and have her pay for an expensive dinner that she would not even enjoy was just too much for them to ask.

Ah, she wanted to cry.

She was about to open her mouth to complain when she heard her student's voice from her right. "I'll pay for it," he said.

Miwako swore that she wanted to bury herself alive then.

"Te—"

It was too late for Miwako to stop him, however, as each one of the people present in the table started to get their orders. It wasn't long for everyone to say their food requests when Aoko started to speak and asked the questions Miwako dreaded to answer. "You're a student, are you not? From Seigaku?" Aoko arched a brow as she took in Tezuka's uniform.

That was then Miwako realized that she was a fool to even believe that they would fall for such an obvious trick.

"And I believe Miwako-chan is a teacher, too!" She clapped her hands excitedly.

Not a moment passed and Aoko's smiling, happy lips turned into thin line.

"From what school again, Miwako-chan? And how did the two of you meet?"

She finally revealed her true colors.

"He's…" Miwako stalled.

Both of her hands clenched from the stress, making her realize that her right hand was still linked with her student's.

"A tennis coach," she breathed the words, her palms getting sweatier. "A tennis coach, right," she repeated them with more confidence to convince herself, waving her hand dismissively with a forced laugh.

"Tennis coach?" the group asked uncertainly.

Their existence was horrifying, Miwako finally decided. They really plan on crushing her completely. She had to admit it; it was an arduous task to keep her smile when her soul was literally quivering so much in fear. She had no idea what she did to actually deserve such punishment.

"Yes! Yes! From the same school that I'm recently transferred in," she affirmed as her free hand pretended to arrange her chopsticks. "We fell in love with each other at first sight."

Love at first sight. The sick idea she detested the most.

"Right, Tezuka?" She turned to her student, willing him to respond.

Tezuka remained silent for a while; his face (as per usual) completely devoid of emotion. She gripped his hand, asking –begging – him to cooperate.

She knew that she was pushing her luck here. Tezuka already agreed to enter the restaurant and sit beside her to be her pretend boyfriend. The boy even saved her the trouble and volunteered himself to pay for the food of her companions, but, now, she just had to ask him another favor to erase his identity as a student and replace it with Seigaku Tennis Team's coach. Agreeing to her idea would mean trouble to him. What would Ryuuzaki-sensei say if she found out Tezuka wanted to take her position?

Miwako could only bow her head low, ashamed that she even impulsively put her student into such situation.

"Yes," was his simple answer, just as how she instructed.

'_Kami-sama, kill me now.'_ She closed her eyes as she said her silent prayer.

To her disappointment, she was still alive.

Oh well, she could do nothing about it.

"Yay!" Sora's pitchy voice interrupted her internal suicide. "Here's our food!"

She didn't know if she should be relieved by the fact. The thought that it was her student paying for her own food itself was enough to kill her 'ever-professional-and-good-teacher' spirit. And, no, it wasn't helping that Tezuka wouldn't even try to complain. He let her hand grip his when she was too tensed, and replied simple 'yes' and 'no' when the circumstances deemed it necessary.

"Itadaki!" the four swindlers exclaimed as soon as sets of plate were laid down in front of them.

Miwako couldn't help but feel aggravated. They weren't just swindlers; they were shameless gluttons as well. Not that she had the very right to complain, as she was munching the food herself as well.

It would really be a big problem if they would continuously ask for refill. Speaking of which, she had no idea in what corner of the round earth would her student get his money to compensate for their expenses.

It would definitely be his fault for swallowing such a big challenge.

Then again, it was her liability for bringing him there in the first place.

She turned her head to Tezuka who was silently looking at their hands. "Where will you get the money?" she asked in a hushed voice, completely ignoring her student's hard stare on their hands.

His eyes returned her questioning gaze. "I have my savings."

"Well, that wouldn't be enough because this is an expensive restaurant," she said, brushing all of her student's hopes with a shrug.

The youth should just stay silent and watch the adults do their thing.

"You know," she said conspiratorially with a grin, giving a dramatic pause to wait for her student to respond.

She wasn't disappointed; she received nothing.

"These people are really getting on my nerves," she admitted silently with a smile so that the busy people around their table wouldn't know what they were talking about. To add further touch to her drama, she grabbed her chopsticks and started filling Tezuka's plate with dishes.

"So," she continued and smiled at him excitedly as if she hadn't done anything wrong. "I was wondering if you would like to hear about my plan."

He raised a brow. Figures, really.

"When the right time comes…" she put down her chopsticks on the table as she leaned on his ear and whispered the words that no other person present on the table could hear. "Ask for refill," she said with a wink and leaned back on her chair, completely satisfied.

Tezuka's didn't say anything. She expected that, and she knew that he was against her idea, but it was the only thing she could think of to compensate for all the mess she made.

"Sensei," he called suddenly, causing Miwako to whip her head to his direction in an abrupt motion with a snap.

"Don't call me 'sensei,'" she reprimanded her student in a hushed tone. "What?"

"Your hand," he said and turned to stare at their still linked hands.

"Oh!" Miwako instinctively released his hand with a start.

It was clearly the reason why he was looking at their hands with such intensity earlier. She smiled as she watched him start eating. It might seem really insignificant, but, at the very least, Tezuka asserted his rights to eat and enjoy the food that he should be paying for. She considered it as –believe it or not – a progress on his attitude. If she would rate it, she would say that the lifeless one-word humanoid beside her is now five percent human.

She attempted to understand, even pausing for drinks or glancing to her right. She wanted to know why it was challenging her so much to turn her student into a _real_ human. After all, Tezuka's being anti-social never affected his academic performance. Sure, connections were always important, but he was already charismatic to be in need of more attention.

"Uh…" she muttered and grabbed her chopsticks back; stocking her student's plate with more food that he could manage. "Thank you, I guess," she added silently when she noticed that her grip left red marks on the tennis captain's hand.

Tezuka Kunimitsu. The cold tennis player with 'ice' as his middle name just managed to get his teacher's heart warm. Such a good and obedient boy. His parents must be proud of him. Now she clearly understood what Usami-sensei was blabbing about the very first day they met.

She might be mistaken. Probably, she was just so moved by the fact that Tezuka was there to stand for her when she knew no one would if today was ten years ago, but she was glad that she asked for his help. It wasn't that she wasn't remorseful anymore. In fact, she was still scared that Tezuka would report her wrongdoings and that any of her apologies later would reach deaf ears, but the very thought that he was willing to keep silent for an hour was more than enough.

"Wah~" someone squealed from her left. It was Mari, she realized. "Miwako-chan can't eat because she can't help staring at her boyfriend!" she exclaimed.

The exclamation took everyone by surprise. Miwako herself was shocked. She did not even realize that she was staring so much to the point of forgetting her meal.

"Is this what you call crazily in love?" Sora said, her eyes sparking dreamily.

Miwako almost coughed out the water she just sipped. "Not really ha ha ha."

"Speaking of which," Aoko pitched in after munching a big shrimp. "Didn't you tell us that your boyfriend is so in love with you that he would rush in to find you with just one call?"

Miwako gulped as she gave Tezuka nervous side glances. Aware that he was the subject of the conversation, the kid paused eating. Due to her spoken rule however, he remained silent and still as the adults around him gave teasing remarks about his 'dedicated' take on their relationship.

She wondered what really was on his mind because if he was pissed or freaking out right at that moment, it didn't show. Definitely not. His expressionless face was the same since she saw him, and she bet it was the same expression he used even before they met.

"Oh." Miwako gave out a faked and forced laugh once again. "Well, isn't it but _normal _that a man is crazily in love with his girlfriend?" she asked the swindlers.

There was no way they would disagree.

"I'm sure your boyfriend is the same with Tezuka," she added to push the thought in their minds further.

It was good that the swindlers' companions were as silent as Tezuka. They were occasionally indulging themselves into conversations (the latest soccer and basketball games, for instance) but nothing that could get her student into trouble. At the very least, the four other men present on the table were decent enough to talk about sport. Sport is something that Tezuka is well-oriented about. She knew her student is intelligent beyond doubt, but things that weren't included in his world, their fabricated relationship, for example, would probably something which—

"Miwako-chan?" Emiko called her name after a minute of exchanging fashion tips with Sora who was just practically munching down her tempura and nodding and drinking. "I just noticed…" she reached for the tip of her hairs beside her face and started twirling it. "You and Tezuka-kun are still in surname-basis?"

Miwako's eyes widened in realization. She, a practitioner of the art of dishonesty, just made a slip-of-the-tongue.

"Well…" Miwako stalled; she squirmed on her seat as she thought of a cover up story.

Humans like her _do _commit mistakes, but making one right at that moment was something she could not afford. She had to pull herself and her lies altogether before anyone of them noticed it. Tezuka's efforts of staying silent (was there even an effort, she wondered) would not be put in vain. And she had to note that it wasn't just her future that was on the line, her student's participation on her act already pulled him into walking onto the thin ice with her.

Her hands gripped her chopsticks tighter with a renewed determination. "I got used to it," she said with a sigh to wave off the thought as if it was not a big deal in the first place. To get her audience to believe more of her act, she gave her head a shake and let her sincere eyes drop low. "We were so uptight to each other back then. Of course it would be odd to call him by his first name, right? Considering that we're both teachers from the same school!"

The four swindlers turned their attention to Tezuka who merely nodded in response.

"Well, it's much difficult now," she added further to get their attention off Tezuka. "It's not like it's not allowed to have romantic 'teacher-coach' relationships inside the campus, but, really, we can't mix our private affairs with our work, can we?"

It's now the four swindlers' turn to nod their heads.

How convincing she really was, she had no idea. Aoko seemed to be silent throughout the affair, so she must be doing fine. There was still the suspicion in her eyes, but Miwako would make it sure that once the night was over, Aoko's qualms would turn into dust.

"We have to keep it low." Miwako motioned her hands so that it would appear as if she were taming something down, a thing that she usually does whenever her class is noisy.

"Oh," Mari breathed in the word in agreement.

"And that reminds me!" Miwako clapped her hands together to get everyone's attention.

And get their attentions she did. Even Emiko who was about to spoon-feed her boyfriend stopped midway.

Her student looked at her with a raised brow. She smiled at him briefly and turned her focus to the older guests. "Do you want to know how my lovely boyfriend proposed to me?"

She knew it was unnecessary, but having solid evidences could definitely help them in their quest to fool the four swindlers.

"Sure! Sure!" Emiko, Sora and Mari replied enthusiastically.

Miwako expected that Aoko wouldn't be as much interested. After all, out of the three, she's the smartest—clearly not the type of person to go gaga over quixotic stories. Then again, Aoko might just be envious since she was interested in Tezuka.

She let a grin plaster on her face and eyed Aoko. "He asked me to go on a date with him." A dreamy sigh escaped Miwako's lips as her gaze turned on towards the ceiling partly to add more effect and partly because she was trying to make the story inside her head.

"I was _so _hesitant before," she said as her hand fumbled with the table napkin. "After all, we're working inside the same school. But he was so persistent! He wanted to meet with me at the nearby skating ring where he was supposed to ask me to be his girlfriend.

"_Actually_, I have always known he likes me, but I never knew he was _that _desperate to have me as his…" her voice died in her throat when her gaze lowered and met Tezuka's eyes.

It didn't show much, but he doubtlessly would be surprised at what she just narrated.

"On a second thought," she immediately said, trying to fix her incomprehensible fairy tale, "I think I was just as captivated. What with those good looks and err...determined and strict lifestyle."

Tezuka remained noiseless as he could ever be.

"But, _really_, he waited for me in that skating ring for at least four hours! I thought he really left, but he was _there_." Her finger pointed to no where in particular, pretending that the general direction was exactly where Tezuka stood.

There were 'oh's and 'ah's from her listeners.

She smiled. There should be a contest for these kinds of things, she thought. She would probably be a gold medalist.

"What love can do to human beings, you can only guess," she said with a shrug.

"So," Aoko chimed in.

Miwako gulped. For the past thirty minutes, Aoko did nothing but laugh, nod or look at her boyfriend. She occasionally glanced at Tezuka and prompted him for answers which Miwako willingly take, but she hadn't started like how she did.

Aoko looked serious this time. If Miwako's guess was right, the woman was possibly pissed off how she flaunted to everyone Tezuka's proposal to her. It wasn't even true, and it wasn't even a marriage proposal.

"You love her so much?"

Miwako nudged Tezuka who instinctively gave the woman a stiff nod as an answer.

"You'll marry her right?"

This time, Miwako had to give Tezuka's leg a slight kick for him to respond.

"I wonder when the wedding will be?" Aoko said thoughtfully, her forefinger touching the tip of her chin. "How many years have you been a couple? You're surely together for more than a year? Considering your closeness, deep love and all for each other."

Miwako felt herself getting alert. Usually, when Aoko asks a lot of questions, she was aiming for something. She would probably confuse her and then pin her down when the right time comes.

"Of course we are!" Miwako exclaimed as if the thought was painfully obvious. "Going stronger," she supplemented for effect.

"Sensei," Tezuka suddenly whispered, causing Miwako to jump in surprise.

"I told you not to call me that!"

"Miwako-chan," Aoko called with a smile.

Miwako knew very well that smile. It was the smile that says the woman already figured out everything. She wasn't really sure, but Tezuka was probably giving her a warning when he called her just a while.

"Ye-Yes?" Miwako answered nervously, her hands clutching the hem of her skirt.

"You're not really a couple, are you not?"

Well, that was blunt.

It was such a direct and sure statement that everyone present in their table (except for the ever stoic kid, as expected) gasped in surprise.

"Of course we are!" Miwako said, her voice getting higher. "What makes you think that we're not?"

She turned to Tezuka for support, but before he could have the chance to confirm their lie, Aoko butted in, "Hey kid." She turned the spotlight to Miwako's poor student. "There's no way I'll believe your obvious lie."

Aoko sure was one hell of a scary and intelligent woman. Miwako hadn't even realized it. Up until then, she still couldn't figure out what was wrong with her narration. She simply told them her dream proposal. She even made amends so that it wouldn't sound so perfect.

"Give it up," Aoko said good-naturedly. Just that her words were in no way kind at all. Not to mention that she was directing everything towards Tezuka.

The kid seemed unfazed by Aoko's sudden display of intelligence, but he was just probably being his normal self…_or_ he was probably not bothered in the least bit that his teacher's secret would be revealed in no time.

"I can give you twice what that woman can give."

Miwako resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Aoko was being foul and it wasn't fitting for the nice desert that was laid in front of them.

"_I _have more money than her," the swindling expert said as her hand pointed towards Miwako.

Aoko's companion was already starting to get agitated, feeling himself getting more and more insignificant under Tezuka's presence. Hiroto, Aoko's partner, was throwing death glares towards the kid, his fist clenching tightly in a meek attempt to keep his temper down.

If Miwako would be honest, she would say that she was feeling bad for the man. After all, among the other males present in the table, Hiroto was the one who always pulled Tezuka towards their (the men's) own version of conversation. He even opened up the topic of sports so that Tezuka would be able to talk more. And, probably out of obligation, Tezuka attempted to respond more than he usually could provide.

It was just a shame that Hiroto landed on Aoko's manipulative hands.

Miwako slapped herself mentally. She had no time to worry about Hiroto; Aoko just found out their secret, and she had just offered Tezuka money. Miwako was no match. Aside from the fact that she just practically begged Tezuka to help her, she had nothing to hold him. She did not offer money not to mention the fact that the kid was forced to pay the bill that she was supposed to shoulder.

"Or why don't you kiss her and try to prove me how good of an actor you are?"

Miwako's brow twitched. _Kiss? _She thought, meeting her student's eyes.

With a sigh she gathered all her courage and did the thing that she knew was best for her and her student.

_God, give me the strength, _was her silent prayer.

**0.0**

For the very first time in his life, Tezuka couldn't distinguish what was right from what was wrong. Both options clashed to each other. If he were to follow his teacher, he would have to lie. Lying was something that he hated doing. Conversely, he, as well, did not want to disobey his teacher's orders.

The truth was he was quite surprised that his detention this time had something to do with being his teacher's pretend lover. It was…unsettling. The thought itself and the fact that he had to deal with people who were relatively older than him. He wouldn't say that he wasn't used to interacting with elders. After all, inside his own household, there were at least three people whose ages were far beyond his own. But interacting with them never required him to be dishonest.

He wanted to question his teacher's behavior; however the current situation screamed that he was not permitted to inquire. There would be a right time; he believed that his teacher would explain things later and lay out the reason and merits of his detention.

"How many years have you been a couple? You're surely together for more than a year? Considering your closeness, deep love and all for each other."

Tezuka heard the woman on his right. She was the one who had been asking questions that usually drive his teacher into traps. In fact, Tezuka would daresay that he was impressed at how his teacher managed to make immediate excuses for every little mistake that she made in constructing her stories.

"Of course we are!" his teacher exclaimed, making him turn his head in her direction. "Going stronger," she added with a confident smile.

Once again, his teacher fell into the blue-eyed woman's word play.

"Sensei," he whispered to warn her.

"I told you not to call me that!"

It seemed, Tezuka realized, that his teacher didn't notice that she had just blurted her lie out. That was, failing to remember that she had mentioned earlier that she just recently transferred to Seigaku. If they would consider things carefully, Okiayu-sensei didn't practically make an obvious and irreparable mistake this time. The word 'recently' was arbitrary; it could be months for some and a year or two for other people. However, the difference lied on his teacher's knowledge of her slight blunder.

"Of course we are!" Miwako said, her voice getting higher. "What makes you think that we're not?"

His teacher turned to him, and he attempted to offer his teacher a piece of his mind. Nevertheless, the woman who his teacher referred to as Aoko didn't allow them to communicate and started emphasizing her accusation. She even offered him money with her assumption that he was doing everything for the sake of it. And the next thing he knew, he was being asked to give his own teacher a kiss.

Tezuka had to admit it. The part to seal the legality of their relationship with a kiss was something he did not predicted. He knew his teacher was just as surprised as he was. It clearly showed in her facial expression. However impregnable her verbal lies were, her face betrayed it altogether.

With the thought to assist Okiayu-sensei, he kept his face straight and tried to catch his teacher's eyes to calm her. To no avail, his teacher only met his eyes for the briefest second before he could have conveyed to her his thoughts.

Not that he was expecting his teacher to understand everything with an eye contact.

He could only watch her breath a sigh as she closed her eyes.

The next thing she did was something not written in the script she whispered to him just minutes ago.

…**To be continued**


	8. Pride

Chapter 8: Pride

**Recap**

Tezuka had to admit it. The part to seal the legality of their relationship with a kiss was something he did not predict. He knew his teacher was just as surprised as he was. It clearly showed in her facial expression. However impregnable her verbal lies were, her face betrayed it altogether.

With the thought to assist Okiayu-sensei, he kept his face straight and tried to catch his teacher's eyes to calm her. To no avail, his teacher only met his eyes for the briefest second before he could have conveyed to her his thoughts.

Not that he was expecting his teacher to understand everything with an eye contact.

He could only watch her breathe a sigh as she closed her eyes.

The next thing she did was something not written in the script she whispered to him just minutes ago.

**End of Recap**

The whispers created by the crowd inside the restaurant brought Tezuka back to the hushed tone his teacher used a while ago. Her hand tightening its grip on his, she blabbered on her plan, the perfect strategy, and continued to place a heap of shrimp on his plate.

"_When the right time comes…we'll escape and let them pay for our meal," she said, and he raised a brow in curiosity._

_Again, his teacher was up to something that is very unlikely of someone whose profession is in the line of teaching. If there was one thing Tezuka learned that day, it was that his teacher is good in the art of lying and trickery. _

"_I'll pretend to go to the bathroom." His teacher gave a dramatic pause and continued, "After five minutes, you'll pretend that you're concerned about me and follow suit. I know the way to this place, so we'll be able to escape through the backdoor without them even noticing." _

_It was the plan._

"_Ask for refill." Her proud voice and her wink made him even more curious. _

_Curious because his teacher didn't tell what he should do should someone follow her other than him to the comfort room in those five minutes of interval. He wanted to ask, but he thought it would only anger his teacher. If anything were to happen, he probably was expected by Okiayu-sensei to come up with plan B._

"_Sensei," he called as he started to question himself once again why he even agreed to go there and went along with his teacher's lie._

The manner his teacher whipped her head towards his direction the moment he mentioned the forbidden title was the same with how she did right then, with a glare towards his direction, and right after she stood up and slapped the table with a loud thud.

"I hate the pretension," she muttered with a pained expression.

He didn't even have the time to crease his brows when she spoke again.

"Why did you even come here?"

Tezuka was bewildered beyond comprehension.

"What are you talking about, Miwako-chan?" asked the lady named Sora.

Tezuka could only infer that she was just as confused as he was.

"Our relationship is not really in a firm footing right now," Okiayu-sensei uttered with a tear and loud sniff, making the situation more complex. "Everything is messed up, and I don't want to pretend that we love each other when we're not even talking anymore."

He adjusted his glasses as his teacher continued her hysteria.

"I don't know what's happening." She shook her head, and her monologue went on. "I should be doing the preparations for tomorrow's class visitation."

With a final deep breath, his teacher wiped the tear she shred and grabbed her bag, her feet walking off the scene.

Everyone on their table sat in silence.

Other people inside the restaurant joined them in watching Okiayu-sensei leave the place with dumbfounded expressions.

"What are you doing, Tezuka-kun?" exclaimed Sora with a helpless tone. "What are you waiting for? Go and talk to her!" she prompted with a clap.

Tezuka wondered if the action was an influence from his teacher.

**0.0**

Miwako was tapping her feet against the concrete impatiently as she waited for her student to appear from the restaurant's door. She knew that she took a big risk in leaving her student there without even giving him a hint, but the kid had always been bragged as an intelligent individual, so she expected nothing less from him.

"Tezuka!" she called when her student finally emerged from the restaurant's glassed door, her hands waving and urging the boy to follow her.

To her pleasure, her student obediently did as he was told.

In fact, he had been compliant since the beginning, and it was making her more and more guilty as the time passed. But, really, she knew she couldn't do anything about it since she was left with no other choice.

Right.

There was also the option of letting her pride get trampled; however, Tezuka's call earlier that evening was just made at the right time. She thought that God was hinting her to make use of her student and follow her heart.

"Come on! Come on!" she said, ushering her student to hide with her.

Yes, at her very favorite ice cream shop.

"Ah! So tired!" Miwako sat herself in one of the isolated seats of the shop.

Of course, she chose a place that was relatively far from the window so as to avoid Aoko and her minions. With a stretch of her leg, she looked up and waited for Tezuka to take his seat. He wasn't one to disappoint her as he just stood there and stared back at her, his face devoid of emotion, _not _that that was something new, as he waited for _her _to defend her earlier actions. It was not difficult to figure out; what Tezuka was thinking right then, that is. And it was not hard to figure out that her student was getting impatient. His frown screams it.

Again, not that the frown was something new to her.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Her eyes looked down as if she was just caught red handed by her mother after doing something wrong.

Miwako heard a sigh and nothing more.

Tezuka refused to sit down with her.

She couldn't blame her student. After all, she already said sorry earlier; the kid was probably expecting a detailed explanation this time.

"I know it's wrong. But you called and it was just so right…that time." Her voice got softer as she continued, trying to string the words right so that her student wouldn't get any more angrier.

"It's pretty obvious – they plan to make me a laughing stock again."

No answer.

"And I'm tired of that."

She raised her head to gauge his expression.

"I won't fake tears here and have you pity me. I want to apologize sincerely, so can you just sit down?"

Surprisingly, instead of the frown that she was expecting, she was greeted by a weary expression by her student.

"I'm going home," her student finally said.

Although the tone and words used were polite, Miwako still couldn't help but flinch inside.

"You're still angry."

"I'm not," was his answer.

And surprisingly, somehow, Miwako knew that her student wasn't lying.

"I promise I won't bribe you with ice cream just sit down please?"

Tezuka's lips formed a thin line.

Miwako knew what her fate would be right then. She groaned and thumped her head on the table. It wasn't really surprising; she had been pestering Tezuka since the beginning. He would go home and she would also. Tomorrow morning, she would find herself jobless. And it would be the worst. Rumors would spread that she was fired because she _forced _her student to be her pretend boyfriend.

All for the sake of her pride.

She wanted to cry then.

If it wasn't because of her stupid pride, she would. Crying would be later, when she is alone in her room. For now, with Tezuka's scrutinizing gaze, she would hold back.

She could only imagine her facial expression when she heard the seat opposite her move. Immediately, her body straightened.

With a 'yay!', she clapped. It wasn't long before she realized that she still has to be remorseful. As soon as it hit her, she immediately let her shoulders slump and gazed at her student with the most apologetic look. Ever.

"Sensei."

"I don't expect you to understand me."

"I request you stop doing these things."

"Yes," Miwako answered with a nod. "I'm sorry." Her hand reached for the back of her head and scratched it. "Sorry. I'm not just used to these kinds of conversation."

Tezuka merely gave a sigh as an answer.

"All right. I promise not to bother you anymore. I'm going to prepare for the class visitation without asking for your help, and I'm going to check the piles of paperwork waiting for me without pestering you even if I might not be able to finish them."

Tezuka did not say anything.

"I'm joking!" She laughed and gave Tezuka's arm a slap.

"Tomorrow's the class visitation day so study, okay? You go home and I'll stay here to think of some ways to get my job done."

They both sat there, waiting for each other to make their move, but, to Miwako's frustration, Tezuka didn't stand up.

Well, she might be confusing the kid since she just asked him to sit down.

"I'm serious! Go home or…are you waiting for your ice cream?" she asked teasingly.

Tezuka didn't answer, of course. After staring at her for the longest time, which was quite unsettling if you ask Miwako, Tezuka finally decided to stand up and move for the exit. He was about to go when Miwako's hand suddenly shot up and grabbed his arm, effectively halting the boy from his tracks.

"Tomorrow," she started with a grin. "Don't interfere."

It wasn't as if it was the very first time she noticed it, but it was clear to her that she should stop depending on her student from now on.

"Even if I lose my job, don't help me."

With the way Tezuka was looking at her then she could bet her left leg that he was thinking that she was just joking around. She let go of her student's arm and put on a serious expression. This time, making sure that she would get her point across.

"Whatever past you have with that teacher, don't help me, okay?" with a smile she motioned her hand to shoo the kid away.

The nod he gave her as he handed her the attendance sheet Fuji failed to give her that day only confirmed some of her assumptions then.

As she watched her student's back leave the shop, she readied herself. Him leaving the store was also him leaving his role as Miwako's helper. She was determined to keep her words.

Well, at least for now and until tomorrow.

Right now, what could comfort her was not Tezuka's help. What she needed then was one serving of chocolate ice cream.

**0.0**

She stared at the pile of paper works on her desk with a sigh. It was really piling up like there was no tomorrow and the stack didn't even include the mountain she had at school. She tried with all her might to at least finish half of what was on her plate, but God knows that she couldn't finish them.

And she wasn't even a literature or English professor, mind you.

She was a Math teacher and she was supposed to just check exercises of her students. Numbers with concrete solutions and answers. She could only imagine the hell the English teachers were going through reading such long essays as they looked for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. Not to mention that they were also supposed to give remarks and grade the content of the students' work.

Yes, just like Miura-sensei's work.

Miwako could only applaud and bow down to his prowess.

At that, she stopped and shook her head, slapping her cheeks and even pinching them to make it more effective. Waking herself, that is.

It wasn't the time to clap and worship someone's ability; she had her job on her table.

Actually, she already had the questions for tomorrow's Class Visitation Day. Believe her or not, she had been working since she came home that night. Her mother was even surprised that she had to go through all the trouble of bringing Miwako's dinner in her room so that the 'professional' teacher would take some bite of that night's meal. The problem lies on the answer sheet.

"This is really frustrating," she muttered to herself as she stared at the answers to the questions she made earlier.

Miwako was confident that she got everything right, but then she was always confident that she couldn't help but feel that somewhere, with her questions along with the answers, she did something wrong. That her self-assurance was nothing but a trap to deceive her of her slight mishaps.

She checked everything twice, thrice even, but she just couldn't push away the unsettling feeling she had deep inside her heart since she started everything.

Enters the thought of Tezuka.

Again, she was determined to keep her promise. She put a post it in her cellphone so as to keep her from picking it up and calling the said student for help. Even if she wanted too, there was no way she was allowed to ask any assistance from him. After all her, student wasn't supposed to know the questions she would be giving the class tomorrow. _She _couldn't possibly ask him to check if the answers she put in her answer key were right.

She also wanted to ask Miura-sensei's opinion, but she realized that she didn't have his number. Asking her mother would be too troublesome as the woman would fret over the littlest details about Miura-sensei. Miwako was much too afraid that her mother would think that she would marry said teacher for something so trivial.

"Ah, whatever."

At that, she finally let her hand touch her phone.

She promised herself that she would not call the kid so she would just send him a text of some sort.

First, she had to make sure that the kid was awake. She wouldn't risk typing everything and have nothing in response _that _she was sure of.

_Are you awake?_

Brief and professional. She wouldn't add more. Brevity had always defined business best.

After sending her message, she waited. Tapping the phone on her chin as if she was thinking carefully and tapping her free hand on the table. She even resumed to her work.

But five minutes and ten minutes came to pass, and she received no reply.

"No reply, huh?" she said to herself after pushing random buttons on her hand phone. "Guess he's already asleep?" was the only conclusion she could give.

"Not unless he doesn't want to reply because he's busy or…" Miwako's face turned sullen. "He simply doesn't want to talk because he's angry?" she asked herself and let out a deep sigh.

She wouldn't get her answers even if she would sulk all night.

Miwako was about to let it go and just go back with checking the unfinished seatwork of her student when it came.

The phone vibrated so loudly in her silent room that she almost jumped out of surprise.

_Yes._

Miwako, realized it then. There would be no human being who could defeat Tezuka in terms of brevity. That is, if Tezuka was a human being in any way.

_Then say so immediately! I got depressed you didn't reply, you know? _was her reply.

Of course, the reply didn't come back right away, but, at the very least, the wait was shorter. She wondered if Tezuka was a slow typer. She, even if the small gadget was new to her, typed faster than her student.

_I was studying._

"Yeah," Miwako answered with a laugh. "What could you ever be doing at this hour if you're not studying?"

_I know! So… can you help me with something? _

When her phone vibrated once again, she almost clapped. The response was fast this time.

_What is it?_

"Heh," she uttered as she keyed her answer. "So you do type fast."

_Do you have Miura-sensei's number with you?_

After sending her text, she could almost imagine Tezuka raising his brow. In fact, she found texting an effective way to garner reaction from the stoic student. Texting was obliging him to answer at least.

_No, _was his answer. Sadly, that is.

_How about people you know? Do they happen to have his number?_

She didn't know what she was trying to accomplish by asking Tezuka. What was she thinking anyway? There was no way Tezuka would ask for Miura-sensei's number and it wasn't in Miura-sensei's character to give out his numbers to students. And she was more than sure that Tezuka wouldn't go through all the trouble of asking people around for a male teacher's number.

'_What's that again? GMs_(1)_?' _she thought to herself as she tried her hardest to remember the mobile terms she memorized last time when she searched for 'cool and trendy words used in cellphone communication'.

"See? He's not replying anymore," she said though, deep down inside, she was hoping that her student would answer.

The wait was probably longer than the first text, but just when she was about to give up on asking Miura-sensei for his opinion, the message came. This time, however, the number wasn't familiar. She was sure of it as the only number registered in her phone was the number of her student.

Just when she was about to open the text, someone knocked on her door.

"Miwako-chan?"

Oh, it was just her mother.

"Yes?" she answered and hid her phone.

To Miwako's surprise, her mother had a worried look on her face. It was weird that she didn't want to eat dinner because of her work, she was aware of that, but her mother shouldn't give such anxious look to the point that she had to appear as if she was constipated.

"What's wrong? Are you constipated or something?" Miwako blurted out.

Her mother's mouth went gaped then. "I'm not!"

"Then why do you look like that?"

"Because you're being weird! You keep talking to yourself and it's scaring me. I know you're stressed with work but take it easy, okay?"

"You were listening?" she asked with suspicion. "And I'm not talking to myself. I was just…texting okay?"

"Whatever you say." Her mother waved a dismissive hand. "Sleep now, you get me?"

As soon as her mother closed the door, Miwako heaved a deep sigh. She probably needed rest. If anything would go wrong tomorrow, then she would just have to think of a way to get out of it. Completely forgetting the new message on her phone, she approached her bed and plopped herself atop it, praying that tomorrow would be better than today.

**0.0**

Miwako gulped. The class was eerily silent that day. Everyone was looking at her as if it was her last day alive. Well, she did have an inkling feeling that this would happen, but she never knew that it would be _that _bad. On a positive note, her students might just be exaggerating things to scare her.

"She really got on Emina-san's bad side."

"Ah~ she's surely gonna get it today."

'_Gonna get what?' _ Her thoughts swarm as she continued to eavesdrop on her students' conversation.

"I can't believe Tezuka-san would do it, but—"

"Ssh! She can hear you, dummy!"

'_Tezuka? Tezuka would do what?'_

With that thought, she tried to search for Tezuka's reaction. If he was in panic, he didn't let it show. He was just as silent as the man next door and, seriously, he was reading his book. Without even giving a damn about the world.

But, since she asked him to leave her alone for that day, and, hopefully the next days, she could do nothing about it. After being with him for a couple of detention hours, she found that the kid was obedient in unreasonable ways. He would stick to what the authority deemed and said right.

It wasn't a bad thing at all.

"Too bad Emina's mother is the head of the PTA."

Head of the PTA.

She wanted to say 'Like I care', but since her students were making it sound as if it was worse than the most horrifying horror movie, she decided that she should be bothered.

On a second thought, she really didn't have the time to be anxious. "Let's start the class!" she exclaimed with a forced beam.

The class didn't return her enthusiasm. Though, honestly, she wasn't so keen herself. Her students could probably detect the faux fervor resonating in every single cell of her body.

"Today, we'll be having your parents observe what you've learned so far, so do your best in answering the questions, okay?" she encouraged.

"Yes," was their droned response.

Awkwardly, she turned away from the class and started writing problems on the board. It was odd; she imagined that the Class Visitation would be scary, but it was just awkward. Probably because there were the parents to observe them. She wasn't really feeling frightened as it was the students' job to answer the questions correctly.

"Excuse me," someone called from the back. It was a mature pitch that Miwako already knew it came from one of the parents.

As she turned, Miwako found a stern-looking and bespectacled woman frowning at her.

She knew she was in trouble then.

She glanced towards the blackboard to check if she wrote the problem wrong, but, to her relief, she jotted it down exactly as she planned it.

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Okiayu-sensei, is it?" the woman asked and Miwako nodded to answer. "I'm afraid the students here won't be able to answer your questions properly." The confidence on the woman's voice made Miwako think that it really was the case.

Though, still, she asked to confirm with the most polite tone she could muster as possible. "Why would you think that?"

"I heard from my daughter that you weren't even teaching them the right formula. How do you expect them to answer these questions?"

She almost looked disbelievingly at Emina; that girlfriend of Tezuka's was surely the one who dropped her name. She wanted to gape and berate the childishness of such act, but, then again, she was immature back then as well. If only she admitted the mistake.

As the saying went, 'regret is always late no matter how early it is' (2).

Ah, her pride really dragged her down. It didn't get the title 'one of the deadliest sin' for nothing.

But she couldn't afford to die right then. She had to fight back; she still had to prove Tezuka that she could manage without his help.

"I apologize, ma'am, but I believe that this misunderstanding has already been settled with the rest of the class."

Emina-san's mother scoffed, refusing to listen to whatever Miwako was about to say. "You're a teacher and you can't even teach your students the correct formula? To think that it's most basic! What would I do with my daughter?"

Her criticism effectively put the other parents into a whispering bunch. Some showed their sympathy, but most of them showed their doubts on the teacher's ability.

"My daughter's aiming for the best high school in this country, what would I do if such basics of Math are not explained properly?" The bespectacled woman was holding her neck, acting as if she was having a high blood pressure.

The drama. It was probably what the other teachers are referring to. She wondered if this was also the reason the teacher before her got fired.

"With all due respect, ma'am, the correction was done but said student was not properly taught the basics of courtesy that she missed it."

It was the stern-looking woman's turn to give out her incredulous expression. "You…you're saying that I didn't teach her good manners?"

"I didn't mean to imply such rude thought." Miwako smiled and clapped her hands together. "All I'm saying is that we shouldn't be discussing _my _teaching skills as there is a proper time for that."

Miwako just hoped that the cheerfulness of her voice removed the disrespectful message she was trying to convey.

"What-?"

"I really am sorry, but you can talk to me personally about these matters, together with your daughter, so we can settle this professionally."

"I'm not done yet, you disrespectful woman!"

Miwako couldn't help but get surprised at the woman's persistence. Her hands were already white due to the tight way she was clenching her fist. Things were not going the way she planned it. It was understandable if she made a mistake, but, today, she clearly didn't. The bespectacled woman was obviously just attempting to taint her reputation while the issue of her past mishap was still hot.

"Emina," called the mistress to her daughter, her arm, adorned with expensive jewelry, stretched. In her hand, Miwako noticed, was a small white paper.

To her mother's beckoning, Emina grinned and look at her teacher. She was sneering, yet, the moment she opened her mouth, her voice was kind. "Sensei, are you giving me the permission to stand?"

Miwako wanted to say no; however, given the circumstance, the parents didn't have an ounce of sympathy on her and so as her students. If she would antagonize over such a simple matter, then it could get worse. With pursed lips, and after moments of deliberation, she finally nodded and answered, "Yes."

Her voice cracked.

"Yes, I am," she repeated with a more dignified tone.

Emina walked down the aisle, towards her mother. It was such a dramatic scene that, to Miwako, it felt surreal. She thought these types of unsightly scenarios and horrific experiences would only appear in television. Surprise. Surprise. It was happening to her right then, and her face was stoned because she was at lost for words and intelligent response.

"I won't just sit here doing nothing," Emina's mother uttered the moment her daughters hand received the paper.

Miwako wanted to correct that the woman wasn't technically sitting, but she pushed back the thought. The way the woman's nerves were pulsing at the right side of her temple told Miwako that it could the worst move, worst joke even, to be made. And she doubted the rest of the class would find it funny.

Emina turned to her teacher with a sinister smile, holding up the paper for the rest of the class to see. Miwako looked at their faces, but, surprisingly, all of them were not looking. Some of them even looked bored. One of them was looking through her pink phone, Karin-chan, Miwako remembered her name, and another was just drawing an elephant on his notebook.

_What an odd bunch_, Miwako thought.

She then looked at Tezuka, her eyes questioning. She didn't clearly need his help – at least during that moment – but she was intrigued at what his reaction this time would be. The rest of the class was acting as if such scene was an everyday occurrence, so she wanted to inquire why. When her gaze landed on his, though, he looked like… Tezuka. He looked like Tezuka with his nondescript facial expression.

Miwako wanted to appease herself by thinking that what should about to happen must not be such a big deal considering her students' reaction, but, when she looked at Oishi who was known for his caring nature, she realized that it wasn't really the case. The kid looked morose and, after some moment, agitated; he was perspiring a bit and he seemed as if he, too, was asking permission to stand and speak up.

"I prepared there a question for you, Okiayu-sensei," Emina's mother interrupted her thoughts, causing Miwako's gaze to turn back to said woman.

To her wonder, though, Emina, who was standing right beside her mother the whole time, was already right in front of her, handing her the small sheet of paper given to her by the stern-looking woman from the center back of the classroom.

Miwako didn't answer but received the note. It was folded neatly into half so she had to open it before seeing what was written in it.

Emina's mother wasn't joking.

There really _was _a question inside the paper. It was type-written so Miwako could only deduce that such spectacle was planned.

"You want me to answer this?" she asked disbelievingly, feeling more and more furious.

Emina held her smile, but she stepped back a little.

"Ye-Yes. Of course."

Miwako almost laughed. So her student could be intimidated when her teacher started to get pissed and serious.

She looked at the bespectacled woman at the back of the room and the rest of the parents. They were all looking at her now, anticipating. Whether it was her success or failure that they were expecting, she wasn't sure, but they all looked as if they were demanding her to do it. They all forgot today's agenda, Miwako did not need to lose brain cells to figure that much.

With a defeated sigh, she looked at the question once again. They seemed confident so she had to anticipate the worst. She would most likely lose her job if she would not be able to answer it.

"This is-" Her brow raised when she was done skimming the equation.

The clocked ticked as she paused for a response.

"The components of vector ray AB added to two ray DE less three ray FA…" she trailed slowly, glancing at Emina's mother. "Are the coordinates negative four and negative four square root of three. If _t_ is a real number, the magnitude of the vector ray AB plus_ t_ ray EF is a minimum when the value of _t_ is one-half and the minimum magnitude is square root of three. (3)"

Again, there was silence for about one, two or three seconds, but, when they all realized that she boldly answered the question, mumbling and whispering suddenly erupted throughout the room.

"Bingo," she whispered and whistled.

"What _was _the question?"

"She probably got it right."

"She's probably faking her moments of stupidity." Miwako frowned at this.

"I heard the last one they gave Akimoto-sensei was a real tough one."

"She didn't use the board for solutions!"

So maybe answering the question without using the board was over the top. To her defense though, her credibility as a teacher was attacked. Again. She wouldn't stand aside and let herself be bullied. It may have been unbelievable, but she answered the problem so they should at least respect her for it.

Her eyes went to Emina. And then to the woman who stood stiff at the back of the room. It could not get more delightful, Emina was frozen and so was the face of her mother. She wanted to clap, but she had to appear intelligent and professional, so she decided against it.

"Emina, how about taking your seat?" she offered, but it only earned her a glare from her student.

She was supposed to deal with it maturely and end the conversation that way, but she figured that Emina deserved a little bit more aggravation. "Didn't I tell you? Geometry is my best subject."

With a pat on her student's back, she ushered her towards her seat and faced the class. "Now that it's settled, how about we talk about _your _abilities?" she asked the class.

She looked at Tezuka, and, for a moment, she thought she saw him twitch a smile.

But since it _was _Tezuka, she was probably just hallucinating.

"Abe-san, please answer question number one."

Her student stood up, "Ye-Yes!"

"That's the spiri—"

She was about to give her student her first prepared inquiry when, suddenly, a familiar voice uttered, "How do you explain this, though, Okiayu-sensei?"

It was Emina's mother, yet gain. This time, however, her frozen countenance was nowhere to be found. She stepped forward and held her arm high. With her raised hand, there clipped a small object, which appeared to Miwako as a photo, between her fingers.

She wasn't able to see it clearly at first because the PTA head kept her hand moving left and right, probably to let everyone have the opportunity to see it. When she got a clear view of its content a moment later, nevertheless, she could only put a hand over her mouth.

She could only wish she hadn't answered the question given to her a while ago.

Her pride really led her to her downfall.

…**To be continued**

**0.0**

**A/N: **It's finally done! Thank you for reading! I hope I improved with my narration. I got really low grades in my creative fiction papers because of the way I paint pictures using my stories. I'm practicing, _really_; I hope I at least got better. *awkward laugh* Ah, and I _do _apologize for the inconsistent writing style (if ever it changed?) I wrote three-fourth of this thing a long, long time ago. My editor was not just satisfied. I kept on revising it and adding scenes in it. Tell me what you think?

Notes:

(1) GM (group messages) – one sender texts the same message to a large number of recipients. It's popular in my country though I don't exactly use it. Lol. I don't know if it is used in Japan, but, with their advanced technology, I bet they _do _use it.

(2) Got this phrase from a Korean drama entitled "49 days". Try it lol. It turned me into a crying mess.

(3) I looked for a Tokyo University question and just inserted the answer right there. HAHA. I was never good in Math to begin with. Credits go to the owner! How Okiayu-sensei was able to answer it without using solution will be revealed in next chapters.


End file.
